Q1 2023 State Legislation Tracker for Electric School Buses in the U.S.

U.S. State Tracker: Electric School Bus Legislation from States in Q1 2023 (source linked here)

There is some historic state legislation in the pipeline this year to further advance the adoption of electric school buses across the country. This is a state level tracker that does not include the ongoing U.S. EPA $5B clean school bus replacement program that is doling out $1B per year from FY 2022 to FY 2026. These investments will cumulatively snowball to support electric school bus and electric heavy duty vehicle manufacturers.

California

• AB 579 introduced in February 2023
  • Summary of proposed legislation:
    – Requires all new purchases and contracts to be zero emission vehicles by 2035 
    – Districts may request one 5-year extension under certain conditions 
    – Extends allowable contract lease length for zero emission vehicles

Hawaii

• SB 457 introduced in January 2023
  • Summary of proposed legislation:
    – Beginning from 2023, requires the state to not enter into a school bus contract for a term that extends past 2045, unless the bus is a zero emission bus.
    – Beginning from 2045, requires the state to enter into a school bus contract only if the bus is a zero emission bus
• HB 654 / SB 970 introduced in January 2023
  • Summary of proposed legislation:
    – Requires the Department of Education to transition to zero emission vehicles for all student transportation by 2035

Illinois

• HB 2887  / SB 2154 introduced in February 2023
  • Summary of proposed legislation:
    – Requires all new school bus purchases and contracts to be electric by 2028 
    – Requires all school buses operating in equity investment eligible communities to be electric by 2030  
    – Requires all school buses operating statewide to be electric by 2035 

Massachusetts

• HB 3139 / SB 2218 introduced in February 2023
  • Summary of proposed legislation:
    Requires all public fleets, including school buses, to be:
    – 50% electric by 2025
    – 75% electric by 2030
    – 100% electric by 2035
• HB 3231 / SB 2121 introduced in February 2023
  • Summary of proposed legislation:
    Public fleet electrification included within broader climate bill that requires all public fleets, including school buses, to be:
    – 50% electric by 2025 
    – 75% electric by 2027 
    – 100% electric by 2030

Washington

• HB 1368 / SB 5431 introduced in January 2023
  • Summary of proposed legislation:
    – Requires that by 2030, 70% of new school bus purchases and contracts must be zero emission vehicles (HB 1368)
    – Requires that by 2033, all new school bus purchases and contracts must be zero emission vehicles (HB 1368)
    – Requires that beginning 2035, any new school bus purchases and contracts must be zero emission vehicles (SB 5431)
    – Allows districts to request a one-term extension up to 5 years under certain conditions
    – Establishes a zero emission school bus grant program to facilitate this transition