Texas lawmakers move to raise penalties on owners of Teslas and other electric vehicles

by Christian Spencer | May 14, 2021 | May. 14, 2021

Story at a glance:

Texas wants to tax EV drivers because they don’t pay taxes on gas.
The people who sponsored the Senate Bill have received donations from gas utility companies.
A social media group dedicated to Tesla is urging voters to say no.

Recently, some Texas lawmakers targeted owners of electric vehicles by proposing Senate Bill 1728, which critics say would punish EV owners for simply owning an EV.

America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.

Essentially, EV drivers would have to pay additional taxes somewhere between $240 and $400 a year because politicians in the state want them to pay for the equivalent of fuel taxes they would otherwise pay, Clean Technica reported.

The bill consists of a $190 to $240 annual EV fee, a $150+ fee for driving 9,000 miles/year, and a $10 annual surcharge for a new charging infrastructure advisory council.

The bill is sponsored by two Republicans, Sens. Charles Schwertner and Robert Nichols, and one Democrat, Sen. Beverly Powell.

Senator Schwertner is a physician who was backed by several energy firms like Atmos Energy Corporation PAC, Entergy Corporation Political Action Committee (EnPAC), and CenterPoint Energy, Inc. Texas Political Action Committee, to name a few, during his recent election, according to Transparency USA.

Senator Nichols is an engineer in the plastics manufacturing industry who also serves as the Chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee and has similar donors to Sen. Schwertner.

Senator Powell is a realtor with most of her donors being part of that industry or utility company as well.

The Association of General Contractors is also promoting the notion that EV drivers should be taxed, with the organization exclusively devoted to heavy construction issues, saying that the profit would create jobs.

In response to the proposed tax, a social media group dedicated to Tesla in the Austin, Texas area, The Tesla Owners Club of Austin, is urging all Texans to call their local legislators.

“Voting no on SB 1728 is voting FOR thriving jobs as well as clean trucks and cars made in Texas!” the group tweeted.

The bill unfairly targets electric vehicle drivers, asking them to pay more than their fair share. The article shows how people can take action

— Tesla Owners of Austin (@AustinTeslaClub) May 14, 2021