Category Archives: legislative trend

Local TREND. 3 Arguments Against Red Light Cameras. Texas Governor Abbott. 2 Legislative Solutions.

Safeguarding, Securing, Serving, a report by Texas Governor Abbott calls red light cameras:

  •  expensive
  • increase accidents
  •  pose constitutional issues
The 2 legislative solutions proposed:
  • ban red light cameras in state law
  • preempt local governments from using autmated traffic enforcement

Ft. Worth Star Telegram | Gov. Greg Abbott says it’s time to turn off red light cameras in Texas

 

Regulatory TREND. Anatomy of an EV Coalition Touting EVs=Jobs

State: Maryland

The EV Coalition: 

  • PC44 Electric Vehicle Work Group Leader Baltimore Gas and Electric Company
  • Delmarva Power & Light Company
  • Potomac Electric Power Company
  • The Potomac Edison Company
  • ChargePoint
  • Greenlots
  • Natural Resources Defense Council
  • Sierra Club 
  • Chesapeake Climate Action Network
  • Institute for Energy and Environmental Research
  • Marylanders for Energy Democracy and Affordability
  • Pace Energy and Climate Center
  • Solar United Neighbors of Maryland

Supporters of the…

Local TREND. Exception to EV Charging Station Building Code Proposal

City: Menlo Park

The Ordinance goal is to standardize:

  • the type
  • quality
  • quantity
  • of all electric vehicle charging infrastructure
  • installed in future commercial and residential projects

The up in the air exception to the rules:

Whether the EV charger building requirements apply to Affordable Housing Projects.

The Almanac | Menlo Park council plugs into ordinance to boost EV charging stations

Local TREND. Anatomy of a Local EV Charging Station Building requirements.

City: Menlo Park

The Ordinance goal is to standardize:

  • the type
  • quality
  • quantity
  • of all electric vehicle charging infrastructure
  • installed in future commercial and residential projects

What are the practical implications:

  • 15% of the total number of required parking spaces would need to be “pre-wired” EV spaces in commercial buildings
  • 10%  of the total number of parking spaces would have to install charging stations in commercial buildings
  • projects affecting between 10,000 and 25,000…

Regulatory TREND. Fall 2018 Opposition Arguments to Texas High Speed Rail.

Ellis County residents offered the following reasons to oppose Texas Central Rail high speed rail project:

  • local property taxes will rise because “nearby properties will be taken out of the tax base”
  • eminent domain a railroad could take a 2 mile on each side swatch of land
  • destruction of family farms
  • uncertainty  too many unknowns for the comfort level of residents
  • environmental concerns the train will cut species migration

Waxahachie Daily Light | Ellis County Residents Express new…

How an EV rebate bill became an autonomous vehicle tax bill with this language:

California Legislature is considering AB1184 (2018 | CA). 

AB 1184 is touted as the Transportation Assistance Funding Act and intended to increase rebates for EVs and hybrids but was amended to:

  • include an autonomous vehicles riding tax for San Francisco City & County
  • 1 1/2% of net rider fares for riders who agree to share their ride sahre
  • 1 3/4 % for riders who do not agree to sharing
  • the tax revenue is dedicated to fund transportation operations and infrastructure in San Francisco County…

How a republican Governor Became a YES on a high speed rail plan.

A High Speed Rail plan in Florida now contains a financial investment by Florida’s Govenror Rick Scott. 

What’s the background? in 2011, Gov. Rick Scott cancelled a high speed rail plan that included a $2.4 billion federally funded and shovel-ready bullet train from Orlando to Tampa

Now in 2018, after his investment, Governor Scott supports the high speed rail.

Miami Herald | Rick Scott killed a high-speed rail plan. Then All Aboard rolled up and he bought it.