ATLANTA, GA — April 8, 2025 — Georgia House Bill (HB) 652 received final passage from the state legislature last Friday night and now awaits Governor Kemp’s signature. The original bill exempts any public EV charging station operating as of January 2025 from the state’s excise EV “fuel” tax if located on the interstate right-of-way and operated by a non-governmental organization (NGO). The single eligible EV charging station is located on The Ray Highway.
An 18-mile stretch of highway dedicated to the legacy of global industrialist Ray C. Anderson—The Ray Highway—was created as a national proving ground for the infrastructure advancements that will define the future of transportation. Established in 2015 through a partnership between The Ray, Georgia DOT, and KIA Georgia, The Ray Highway celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and the nonprofit The Ray continues to test new technologies and innovative best practices while supporting scaled implementation across the nation.
HB 652 passed the Georgia House on March 6, 2025, known as “crossover day,” the last day in the legislative session for a bill to be approved and eligible for final passage within the same year. The Georgia Senate amended HB 652 to include a one-year delay in the effective date of the excise tax on EV charging stations.
The Senate unanimously approved the amended HB 652, and the House voted unanimously for its final passage during the final hours of the 2025 Georgia General Assembly.
This collaborative legislative effort is advantageous for the Georgia Department of Agriculture, allowing them the necessary time to properly execute the state’s EV charging tax and certification program.
“The Ray is grateful for the unanimous enactment of HB 652 and the state legislature’s recognition of its decade-long infrastructure partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation and the State of Georgia,” said Allie Kelly, Executive Director of The Ray.
The Ray commends the leadership of Georgia Representatives Todd Jones, Vance Smith, Rick Jasperse, and Scott Holcomb, Senate Leader Steve Gooch, Senate Majority Whip Randy Robertson, and Commissioner Tyler Harper.
About The Ray
The Ray is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity and net-zero highway testbed, located on 18 miles of Interstate 85 between LaGrange, Georgia, and the Georgia-Alabama state line. This stretch of interstate is named in memory of Ray C. Anderson (1934-2011), a Georgia native recognized as a leader in green business when he challenged his company, Interface, Inc., to pursue a zero environmental footprint. Our mission is to reimagine how we connect our communities, our lives, and the world in a way that is safer, more responsive to the climate, more regenerative to the environment, and more capable of creating economic opportunity through innovative ideas and technologies that will transform transportation infrastructure. The Ray Highway is paving the way for a zero carbon, zero waste, zero deaths highway system that will build a safer and more prosperous future for us all. Learn more at www.TheRay.org.
Media Contact
Dallen McLemore, Communications Specialist, The Ray
229.449.6168 | dallen@theray.org | @TheRayHighway
###