By Caven Wade, Missoula Current
(UM Legislative News Service) A bill moving through the Montana Legislature would add an annual fee to all completely electric vehicles in the state.
Rep. Denley Loge, R-St. Regis, is sponsoring House Bill 60 which would add an annual fee for each electric car to substitute for the gas tax that drivers of fuel-powered vehicles pay at the pump.
“I talk about this being taking away a free ride, and right now we have a gas tax that pays for some of the fees that go to fixing our roads, and we get some match money that comes along with this,” Loge said.
The bill passed the House of Representatives 92-8 on Jan. 25 and moved to the Senate, where the Senate Business, Labor and Economic Affairs passed it to the full Senate on a unanimous vote on Thursday, Feb. 17.
Loge said in the Senate committee hearing for the bill that because electric vehicles aren’t using gasoline, owners of the vehicle aren’t paying into the gas tax fund that helps support transportation infrastructure throughout the state.
