Relating to the recycling of battery electric motor vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric motor vehicles, and making penalties applicable

Under current law, a person must be licensed by the department of transportation (DOT) as an authorized vehicle recycler to, with respect to vehicles required to be registered, sell certain used parts of more than six used vehicles; dismantle, scrap, recycle, or salvage more than six vehicles; or rebuild or restore for sale more than six wrecked or salvage vehicles in a 12-month period; or with respect to vehicles not currently registered, store more than six vehicles or store damaged vehicles except where such storage is incidental to the primary purpose of the repair of vehicles for others. The licensing requirement does not apply to persons who are educational institutions, licensed as new vehicle dealers, engaged in a hobby not for profit, engaged in the business of purchasing certain parts of vehicles only for sale as scrap metal, insurance companies, county mutual insurance associations, or state mutual insurance associations. A license issued to a person must be conspicuously displayed at the person’s principal place of business except during periods when the license is surrendered for modifications. This bill prohibits a person, beginning January 1, 2027, from recycling battery electric motor vehicles or plug-in hybrid electric motor vehicles unless the person is an authorized vehicle recycler who has successfully completed a vehicle high-voltage battery safe handling and storage education program approved by the DOT and displays a program completion certificate next to the recycler’s license. The DOT is required to approve such programs, which must award a program completion certificate to an authorized vehicle recycler who successfully completes the program. The DOT is also required to adopt rules to administer the bill. “Battery electric motor vehicle” means a motor vehicle equipped with electrical drivetrain components and not equipped with an internal combustion engine, that is propelled exclusively by one or more electrical motors using electrical energy stored in a battery or other energy storage device that can be recharged by plugging into an electrical outlet or electric vehicle charging station. “Plug-in hybrid electric motor vehicle” means a motor vehicle equipped with electrical drivetrain components, an internal combustion engine, and a battery or other energy storage device that can be recharged by plugging into an electrical outlet or electric vehicle charging station. By operation of law, a person convicted of violating the bill is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. A serious misdemeanor is punishable by confinement for no more than one year and a fine of at least $430 but not more than $2,560.