Gold Dome Digest: The Bills Shifting Georgia Into The Future

EV’s got a groundbreaking advancement on Wednesday February 22nd with House Bill 406 passing unanimously. The House Technology & Infrastructure Innovation Committee is sending the bill on to the next step. The bill, backed by The Georgia Department of Agriculture, will allow charging by retailers to be done by the kilowatts. Changing from how long to how much allows the driver to pay for the actual product purchased. The President of the Georgia Association of Convenience Stores, Angela Holland said with many stores in prime locations GA can become a national leader for electric vehicles.

Related to this bill is House Bill 72 or the Baranco Act which proposes a $100 dollar fine for anyone stopping, standing, parking or otherwise blocking an EV charging space. Bill 72 is currently being read by the senate and backed by nine senators.

With House Bill 73 being approved by The House Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications, consumers can be safer from solar scammers and poor-quality product. The bill will require solar installers to pass background checks and provide customers with clear disclosures of payment terms and energy saving calculations.

With the expectation of transitioning gas-powered vehicles to electric in the coming years, Georgia is preparing to show the other states how it is done with small but powerful steps.

Teresa Perkins is a climate change and sustainability journalist, who is creating research-based climate change content pertaining to sustainable energy at local, national, and global level for publication and distribution. She partners with non-profit organizations for innovative ideas and sustainability projects and connects global UN Climate Change reports to local initiatives.