Washington state lawmakers have introduced a bill that would create a council to help phase in the adoption of electric vehicles and manage the state’s spending of federal funds targeted at building EV-related infrastructure.

“Presently, there are four agencies in charge of these vehicles’ electrification. We need a coordinated strategy,” SB 5908 sponsor Sen. Marko Liias (D), chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, said during a hearing on the bill Thursday.

Led by the state’s Commerce and Transportation departments, the Interagency Electric Vehicle Coordinating Council’s duties would include developing a strategy to ensure that the state is prepared for EVs to account for all new car sales in 2035. The new body would also gather and disseminate information about EV programs, policies and funding.

If approved, the council’s most pressing task would likely be to identify and coordinate EV-related grant programs stemming from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed last year. Washington is expected to receive $71 million from the act to expand EV charging networks, in addition to $4.7 billion in highway aid, some of which could be eligible for allocation to EV-related projects.

The council’s other responsibilities would include:

• • • developing a statewide electrification roadmap that is coordinated with an EV mapping and forecasting tool required in state law (See Inslee Vetoes Part of Wash. EV Mapping Bill.);
    • create an industry EV advisory committee to provide input on ways to more effectively and efficiently decarbonize the transportation sector through electrification policies;
    • identifying policy challenges and existing barriers in electrification policies; and
    • ensuring the state’s EV strategy benefits disadvantaged communities.

Thursday’s committee hearing picked up only two people testifying on the bill, both in support.

Debbie Driver, Gov. Jay Inslee’s senior transportation adviser, testified in favor of creating an interagency council to focus on EV policy. The original version of the bill had called for establishing an altogether new agency to address the issue.

“It brings together the best and the brightest in our state agencies,” Driver said.

Annabel Drayton of the NW Energy Coalition also supported the council’s creation, but she said the bill should add protections for consumers to its duties.

While 246 people signed up to oppose the bill, none testified, so no reasons for the opposition publicly surfaced. Eleven others who signed up in support of the bill also failed to testify.

Full adoption of the bill will be contingent on the state’s transportation budget providing funding for the council by June 30.