Category Archives: legislative trend

Lege Trend. Anatomy of Direct Sales Auto Bill in the East. + Response from Auto Dealers that would make Emily Post Flinch

Connecticut Legislature is again considering H5285 (CT | 2019) to allow direct sales of automobiles by Tesla.

Connecticut is 1 of 16 states taht do not permit direct sales.

The response from autodealer association:

  • Tesla is laying off employees
  • Tesla is having problems with producing its $35,000 auto

Tesla’s message:

  • Tesla does not want any tax break
  • Tesla wants no handouts
  • Tesla wants to invest in stores and in job

Hartford Business | New governor and legislature, same Tesla bill

Local TREND. Lege TREND. Anatomy of a Scooter Deal. What happens when start ups play nice?

How did this start? Portland started a 4 month pilot program with scooter companies that involved data sharing. The report from the pilot program.

What did the data sharing report show?

  • short car trips replaced in 34% of scooter use
  • fewer accidents
  • reduce congestion
  • reduce pollution

What takeawy did Portland have? “It is better to ask permission and work with local regulators than risk being run out of a community.”

Are there examples of what happened when scooter companies didn’t ask for…

Regulatory TREND. Anatomy of a Newly Approved EV Program.

As part of a $58 million rate increase by a Sonsumers Energy, Michigan Public Service Commission approved Consumers Energy’s PowerMiDrive EV.

The EV initiative will:

  •  $10 million
  • 3 year plan to incentivize the deployment of EV chargers
  • Focused on EV chargers at homes, apartments, schools, workplaces and other public charging sites
  • Chargers will also be deployed at highway locations
  • includes 2 off peak plans:
    • low off-peak electricity rates between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.
    • super off-peak period…

Lege TREND. Transportation Interim Charge Recommendations. 2019 Texas Legislature. Speed Read.

House Committee on Transportation recommends:

  • TXDOT cooperation with local governments durin emergencies for evacuation routes, signage, and emergency management information systems
  • comprehensive development agreements for projects which are not included in TxDOT’s Uniform Transportation Program should be OK if local governing bodies approve them
  • If local governmental bodies have approved toll roads they should be able to have toll roads
  • Increase to 6, from 3, the number of design-build…

Lege TREND. 2 States Adopt Dutch Reach. Bike Safety.

What is the Dutch Reach? 

  • When exiting your car, use your far hand to open the door
  • Huh? If you’re in the driver’s seat, reach with your right hand

Which states are including the Dutch Reach?

  • Illinois and Massachusetts

How are IL & MA including the Dutch Reach?

  • New state laws
    • Added to road safety manuals
    • Included in driving tests

Governing | What’s the ‘Dutch Reach’? 2 U.S. States Adopt It to Save Cyclists’ Lives

Lege Trend. HOV lanes and EVs

California’s  AB544 (2018 | CA) gives zero emission & low emission vehicles access to HOV lanes.

What did the bill text look like to define these vehicles?

  • A vehicle that meets the state’s super ultra-low emission vehicle (SULEV) standard for exhaust emissions and the federal inherently low-emission vehicle (ILEV) evaporative emission standard, as defined in Part 88 (commencing with Section 88.101-94) of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
  • A vehicle that was produced during the 2004…