Global Courant
The Wisconsin legislature is expected to pass bills on Wednesday that would protect access to gas-powered vehicles, snow blowers, lawnmowers and other machinery.
The Republican-controlled Assembly passed the measures in April, with all Democrats objecting, and the Senate was expected to give final approval Wednesday. It would then be up to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to sign or veto the bills into law. He said in April that he didn’t believe bans on gas engines were necessary for the state to slowly transition to electric vehicles, suggesting he may not be considering bans like that either.
The bills seek to ban measures similar to a California statute passed last year that would require all new cars, trucks and SUVs sold in the state to run on electricity or hydrogen by 2035. Democrats have said they had no plans to run in Wisconsin and accused the bill sponsors of scaremongering.
CALIFORNIA PROPOSES BAN ON SALE OF GAS VEHICLES BY 2035
Commuters drive into downtown Madison, Wisconsin on January 29, 2019. The state legislature plans to give final approval to a measure protecting access to gas-powered cars. (Lauren Justice for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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The Senate was also expected to vote Wednesday on a bill that would prohibit state and local governments from restricting utilities based on the energy source, such as natural gas.
Republican advocates and other backers, such as the state chamber of commerce and energy companies, said the measure was necessary to avoid any type of ban in Wisconsin, such as those under discussion in other states. New York State will begin banning natural gas stoves and ovens in most new buildings beginning in 2026.
The environmental group Wisconsin Conservation Voters told lawmakers last month that the measure is “at best a solution in search of a problem,” as no Wisconsin community or state itself is attempting to ban any type of fuel.
