Minnesota Statutes § 216C.402 - GRANT PROGRAM; MANUFACTURERS' CERTIFICATION OF AUTO DEALERS TO SELL ELECTRIC VEHICLES

§ Subdivision 1.Establishment. A grant program is established in the department to award grants to dealers to offset the costs of obtaining the necessary training and equipment that is required by electric vehicle manufacturers in order to certify a dealer to sell electric vehicles produced by the manufacturer. § Subd. 2.Application. An application for a grant under this section must be made to the commissioner on a form developed by the commissioner. The commissioner must develop administrative procedures and processes to review applications and award grants under this section. § Subd. 3.Eligible applicants. An applicant for a grant awarded under this section must be a dealer of new motor vehicles licensed under chapter 168 operating under a franchise from a manufacturer of electric vehicles. § Subd. 4.Account established; appropriation. (a) An auto dealer certification grant account is established as a separate account in the special revenue fund in the state treasury. The commissioner shall credit to the account appropriations and transfers to the account. Earnings, including interest, dividends, and any other earnings arising from assets of the account, must be credited to the account. Money in the account at the end of a fiscal year does not cancel to the general fund but remains available in the account until expended. The commissioner shall manage the account. (b) Money in the account is appropriated to the commissioner to pay the reasonable costs of the department to administer this section. § Subd. 5.Eligible expenditures. Appropriations made to support the activities of this section must be used only to reimburse: (1) a dealer for the reasonable costs to obtain training and certification for the dealer's employees from the electric vehicle manufacturer that awarded the franchise to the dealer; (2) a dealer for the reasonable costs to purchase and install equipment to service and repair electric vehicles, as required by the electric vehicle manufacturer that awarded the franchise to the dealer; and (3) the department for the reasonable costs to administer this section. § Subd. 6.Limitation. A grant awarded under this section to a single dealer must not exceed $40,000.