SB 5750
In CommitteeSenate
State facility EV charging
Concerning fees for charging electrical vehicles at state facilities.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill authorizes the state to provide electricity for charging plug-in electric vehicles at state office locations—including for state-owned vehicles used in official business or as commutes, and for private vehicles conducting business with the state. It also allows charging stations for private vehicles, with fees going to the motor vehicle fund, and requires reporting on usage and costs.
- Explicitly authorizes the state to buy electricity to charge publicly owned plug-in electric vehicles at state office locations—specifically for vehicles used for state business, as commute vehicles, or used while conducting business with the state.
- Allows the state to set up charging stations at state office locations where privately owned electric vehicles can pay to charge while on-site.
- Requires fees from public EV charging to be deposited into the motor vehicle fund.
- Directs the Director of the Department of Enterprise Services to report to the governor and legislature on estimated state electricity costs and number of vehicles using state charging stations—if the director determines costs are significant.
Who is affected
- State employees — State employees who use electric vehicles for official business or as commute vehicles may benefit from free or subsidized charging at state office locations.
- Private electric vehicle drivers — Private electric vehicle owners who visit state office locations for business (e.g., to conduct business with the state) may be able to pay to charge their vehicles while on-site.
- Department of Enterprise Services — The Department of Enterprise Services will be responsible for managing and reporting on state electricity use for EV charging and may need to adjust budgets or operations accordingly.
- State agencies with office locations — State agencies with office locations that host EV charging stations may need to coordinate with the Department of Enterprise Services to install or maintain charging infrastructure.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (3)
State employees and visitors using plug-in electric vehicles for official business or to conduct business with the state gain access to free or subsidized charging at state office locations, reducing their out-of-pocket driving costs and supporting adoption of cleaner vehicles.
TransportationPeopleRef: Sec. 1, subsection (1)By enabling charging infrastructure at state facilities, the bill supports broader public access to EV charging, which may encourage transition away from fossil-fuel vehicles and reduce transportation-related emissions across Washington.
EnvironmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 1, subsection (2)Providing charging infrastructure at state office locations may reduce range anxiety for EV drivers, especially those traveling long distances or in rural areas with limited public charging—potentially improving road safety by reducing incidents of disabled vehicles on highways.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1, subsection (2)
Potential Concerns (2)
The bill requires private EV drivers to pay for charging at state facilities, but sets no minimum fee structure or cost-recovery standard—leaving pricing discretion to the Department of Enterprise Services. This could lead to inconsistent or administratively burdensome fee-setting across sites, potentially deterring use or creating confusion for drivers.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 1, subsection (2)The reporting requirement is discretionary and only triggered if the Director of Enterprise Services deems electricity use
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 1, subsection (3)
Who Is Most Affected
State employees who drive EVs for official duties or as part of commute programs may benefit from free or low-cost charging, reducing their commuting costs and supporting adoption of clean vehicles. However, the benefit is limited to those who actually use EVs for state business or as commutes—currently a small subset of state workers.
Private EV drivers who conduct business at state offices gain convenient access to charging while on-site, but must pay fees. Since fees go to the motor vehicle fund (not a general fund), this is a user-fee model—fair in principle but may deter use if prices exceed market rates or if charging is infrequent.
The Department of Enterprise Services gains new operational responsibility for managing charging infrastructure and reporting electricity use. While costs are likely modest (given the bill’s narrow scope), this adds administrative burden without new dedicated funding.
State agencies hosting charging stations may need to coordinate with DES on site access, security, and maintenance—but the bill does not impose new mandates beyond coordination. Most agencies will see minimal impact, though larger sites (e.g., Department of Licensing offices) may incur modest operational adjustments.
EV owners who are not state employees or state visitors (e.g., general public commuting through or near state facilities) may benefit indirectly if charging availability increases overall infrastructure density—but the bill only authorizes charging at state office locations, limiting broader public access.