§269-73  Electric vehicle charging system; rebate program; administrator; establishment.  (a)  The public utilities commission may contract with a third-party administrator to operate and manage any programs established under section 269-72.  The administrator shall not be deemed to be a "governmental body" as defined in section 103D-104; provided that all moneys transferred to the third-party administrator shall have been appropriated by the legislature or shall be from funds provided by the federal government or private funding sources.  The administrator shall not expend more than fifteen per cent of the amounts appropriated for the rebate program or other reasonable percentage determined by the public utilities commission for administration of the programs established under section 269-72; provided that program administration expenses may include marketing and outreach expenses to increase program participation, if needed; provided further that not more than ten per cent of the amounts appropriated for the rebate program may be expended on non-marketing and outreach programs or administration of the program.

     (b)  The electric vehicle charging system rebate program administrator shall be subject to regulation by the public utilities commission under any provision applicable to a public utility in sections 269-7, 269-8, 269-8.2, 269-8.5, 269-9, 269‑10, 269-13, 269-15, 269-19.5, and 269-28, and shall report to the public utilities commission on a regular basis.  Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the electric vehicle charging system rebate program administrator shall not be an electric public utility or an electric public utility affiliate. [L 2019, c 142, pt of §2; am L 2022, c 202, §3]