The Democratic majority in the Colorado House passed two bills Thursday to benefit electric vehicles. And House Republicans didn’t like either one.

Senate Bill 77 would allow utilities such as Xcel Energy and Black Hills Energy to put the cost of charging stations, including incentives an advertising, into their rates paid by all customers.

The bill passed 39-26 Thursday, with two Pueblo Democrats, Reps. Daneya Esgar and Bri Buentello, joining Republicans in voting against. Pueblo residents already pay some of the highest energy prices in the state.

House Bill 1298 would set a $150 fine for parking in a spot reserved for charging electric vehicles, or for staying in the spot longer than 30 minutes after an electrical vehicle is fully charged. The legislation passed on a party-line vote, 41-24.

Rep. Terri Carver, R-Colorado Springs, led the charge against both bills. She and other Republicans thought the parking fine was too high and the socialized costs for electric vehicles was unfair to other ratepayers.

SB 77 sponsor Rep. Chris Hansen, D-Denver, said utilities would have to go to the Public Utilities Commission to approve any rate hike, just as they do now to pay for any other infrastructure.  Moreover, the bill caps any increased cost related to the bill at 0.5%.

“I personally think this bill is astounding,” Carver argued on the House floor. “… It is astounding that we’re taking a public policy goal of transportation electrification, and we’re going to put that on the backs of individuals and businesses in the service territory, and the vast majority of them don’t have electric vehicles.”

Hansen said building that infrastructure would allow the utilities to sell more electricity as the electric-vehicle market grows, which would reduce the cost of electricity to all customers.

“The highest probability outcome is that customers are going to save money if we move forward with Senate Bill 77,” Hansen said.

Democrats passed both bills on separate voice votes. They will have to pass on a second recorded vote in the chamber to advance, as the sessions barrels toward its May 3 adjournment.

The proposed $150 fine for parking a combustion vehicle in front of an electric charging station is based on the lower end of the potential fines for illegally parking in a space marked for handicapped drivers.

“I think to equate someone who’s driving an electric vehicle with someone who’s disabled and needs a handicapped parking spot is very inappropriate,” Carver said. “A person who is disabled can’t help that … Somebody who drives an electric vehicle, that’s a choice.”

HB 1298 sponsor Rep. Jovan Melton, D-Aurora, said a person who can’t get electricity for his or her vehicle is blocked from traveling and risks running out of juice before reaching the next charging station.

“We’re not talking about parking for shopping or going to dinner or anything like that,” he said. “We’re talking about parking to charge your vehicle.”

Because it was amended, Senate Bill 77 has to go back to the upper chamber to reconsider the changes. House Bill 1298 has to get through the Senate before the session ends on May 3.