wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > HB 2005 > Original Bill
It is a violation of this section if a person with criminal intent causes an interruption or impairment of service of an electric vehicle charging station through cutting wires, damaging or tampering with its operation, or stealing it, to be punished in the following manner:
If the electric vehicle charging station and related supporting infrastructure is less than $1,000 in value, the violation is a gross misdemeanor;
If the electric vehicle charging station and related supporting infrastructure is $1,000 to $5,000 in value, the violation is a class C felony; or
If the electric vehicle charging station and related supporting infrastructure is more than $5,000 in value, the violation is a class B felony.
The crimes in subsection (1) of this section are not intended to apply to any person working for an electricity service provider that inadvertently causes interruption or impairment of service or physical harm to the electric vehicle charging station.
A person who violates this section, upon conviction, in addition to any other punishment or penalty, shall be ordered to make restitution to the owner or operator of the electric vehicle charging station or any other related costs as authorized in RCW 9.94A.750.
When a person is found to be in violation of this section, there must be assessed an additional fine of $100 to be deposited into the multimodal transportation account created in RCW 47.66.070 if the violation occurred on state property or in the county road fund authorized in RCW 36.82.020 of the county where the violation occurred.
A person who has been deprived of an operational electric vehicle charging station in accordance with subsection (1) of this section may file an action in superior court against the perpetrator for the recovery of actual damages, limited to the value of any damage to the electric vehicle charging station and any infrastructure attached to the electric vehicle charging station, civil damages up to $5,000, and the costs of the suit, including reasonable attorneys' fees.
For purposes of this section, "electric vehicle charging station" means a station that delivers electricity from a source outside an electric vehicle into one or more electric vehicles. An electric vehicle charging station may include several charge points simultaneously connecting several electric vehicles to the station and any related equipment needed to facilitate charging plug-in electric vehicles, such as electric vehicle supply equipment capable of sending commands, payments, or messages remotely from or to an electric vehicle service provider as part of an electric vehicle's charging process.