Ciresi introduces bill to ensure proper use of electric vehicle charging spots
Rep. Joseph Ciresi April 25, 2023 | 4:13 PM
HARRISBURG, April 25 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, today announced the introduction of legislation that would ensure the proper use of electric vehicle charging spots in Pennsylvania.
There are currently more than 2 million electric vehicles on the road nationwide, with more sold each year, but there is a limited availability of public charging stations. According to Ciresi, the blocking of charging stations for reasons other than charging is a common frustration among many EV owners and has been cited by planners in Pennsylvania as a challenge to EV deployment. His legislation, H.B. 1043, would ensure that spots clearly marked as reserved for electric vehicle charging are properly utilized and cannot be used by non-electric vehicles or vehicles not connected for charging, similar to existing laws restricting improper use of reserved disability parking spaces.
“We want to make it easy for people to adopt electric vehicles to alleviate our reliance on fossil fuels to support a clean environment and reduce the impact of climate change,” Ciresi said. “Unfortunately, too often EV drivers find the reserved and marked EV charging stations blocked when they need it, leaving many electric vehicle owners struggling to find places to charge their vehicles. The lack of charging station availability is a serious impediment, impacting EV owners from everything from planning a trip to going about daily errands.”
Eighteen states, including Florida and North Dakota, have already passed laws protecting EV charging stations from being blocked. According to Ciresi, most municipal parking ordinances have not been amended to account for the growing prevalence of electric vehicles.
“As the popularity of electric vehicles grows, we need to make sure that our laws keep up with the unique situations this technology brings,” Ciresi said. “My bill is one step in the right direction in ensuring that electric vehicle owners can use electric charging stations for the purpose for which they are intended.”