A new bill signed into law in Illinois carves out an exemption to electric vehicle charging requirements.
Under the 2023 Electric Vehicle Charging Act, newly built houses are required to include EV-capable infrastructure. One of the requirements is possessing at least one "EV-capable" parking space for each residential unit with dedicated parking.
State Sen. Sally Turner, a Republican from Logan County, sponsored a bill that lifts that requirement for nonprofits who are building homes for at-risk veterans. She said the requirement drives up construction costs.
“This law is about getting potentially burdensome governmental regulations out of the way of the people who are stepping up to serve our veterans,” Turner said, adding the bill will help nonprofits, including the Lincoln-based Central Illinois Veterans Commission [CIVC], which has worked to provide housing for homeless veterans in Central Illinois.
“I know that the late former chairman of the CIVC, Joe Schaler, would be proud to see this legislation receive such strong bipartisan support and officially become law," Turner said.
Gov. JB Pritzker has signed the bill into law after it passed unanimously in the Illinois House and Senate. It takes effect immediately.