Colorado bill to incentivize electric lawn equipment passes first committee

The Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG) reports that Senate Bill 16 passed through its first committee this week, the Senate Transportation & Energy committee, by a 5 to 2 vote. Section 8 of the bill creates a tax credit through retailers that could reduce the up-front price for consumers by 30 percent when they purchase electric-powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers, trimmers and snow blowers.

Purchasers of electric-powered equipment would immediately be offered the discount at the register, according to the bill’s text. Dealerships and retailers selling the equipment would have to file for the tax credit.

Sen. Chris Hansen (D -Denver) is the prime sponsor of the bill, which will next head to the Senate Finance Committee. A similar bill introduced in Colorado last year failed in the legislature.

“Thank you to the Senate Transportation & Energy committee for hearing Senate Bill 16 … and passing it along to the next step in the process,” says Kirsten Schatz, CoPIRG clean air advocate. “The bill includes important incentives to reduce the up-front cost for consumers purchasing electric lawn and garden equipment by 30 percent.”

The CoPIRG Foundation’s recent report, “Small Machines, Big Pollution,” is available for download.