Policy Resolution BED-24-02

WHEREAS, the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) recognizes the benefits that vehicle ownership can bring to individuals, families, and communities;

WHEREAS, vehicle ownership and use can be an essential precondition for social inclusion in areas which have been built on the assumption of near-universal car access;

WHEREAS, vehicle ownership can contribute to financial security and stability, when the vehicle purchased and purchasing conditions are manageable for the consumer;

WHEREAS, vehicle owners generally benefit from purchasing power, as well as the ability to secure loans with their vehicle as collateral and borrow at lower interest rates;

WHEREAS, vehicle ownership also helps families with taking children to school, trips to the doctor and dentist, and grocery shopping, offering a reliable transportation option in both urban and rural communities;

WHEREAS, boosting vehicle-ownership rates can also narrow inter-racial employment gaps;

WHEREAS, black households are three times more likely to lack a vehicle than white households;

WHEREAS, NBCSL recognizes the historic challenges that people of color have experienced in accessing the credit needed to buy a vehicle;

WHEREAS, laws intended to protect purchasers of vehicles sometimes overreach and artificially limit the availability of vehicle finance credit; and

WHEREAS, the unintended consequences of bad vehicle finance policy are disproportionately felt by black individuals and families.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL) encourages policymakers to ensure that laws and regulations do not inadvertently lessen opportunities for minority families to own vehicles, either by limiting the availability of credit, or by other means that might discourage from being able to own a working car without a long term predatory loan;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Inflation Reduction Act having numerous incentives to deploying vehicle charging infrastructure, that the NBCSL believes the Administration should take significant steps to improve to deployment of vehicle charging infrastructure in minority communities, particularly urban communities where there are no other options beyond street parking; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States, members of the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate, and other federal and state government officials as appropriate.

• Resolution ID: BED-24-02
• Sponsored by: Rep. Kim Schofield (GA), Rep. Sandra Scott (GA), and Rep. Viola Davis (GA)
• Policy Committee: Business and Economic Development (BED)