The bill revises laws related to public charging stations for electric vehicles in Montana, specifically addressing tax provisions and electric meter requirements. It amends several sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to clarify definitions, such as "charging station," "charging station operator," and "public charging station." Notably, the bill introduces a tax of 3 cents per kilowatt hour on electricity delivered to public charging stations, effective July 1, 2023, while removing previous provisions related to public legacy charging stations. Additionally, it mandates that all public charging stations must have a separate electric meter installed to measure electricity delivered, with the owner responsible for the installation costs.

Furthermore, the bill requires public charging station operators to disclose rates for electric power at the charging site and mandates registration with the Department of Transportation within 30 days of operation. The public utility is tasked with collecting the tax and remitting it to the department, while also being allowed to create a new customer class for billing purposes. The bill also states that taxes collected are exempt from review by the public service commission. The effective date for the provisions of this act is set for July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 15-70-801, 15-70-802, 15-70-803, 15-70-804, 15-70-805