Section 58-27-270 - Stakeholder process; exploration of opportunities and identification of challenges to advance electrification of transportation sector(A) The South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff through any existing electric vehicle stakeholder initiatives launched by the regulatory staff, shall complete a stakeholder process to facilitate a broad, collaborative statewide discussion among stakeholders to explore the opportunities to advance electrification of the transportation sector along with identifying challenges associated with the advancement of electrification of the transportation sector.(B) Components of this initiative shall include, but not be limited to: (1) working with stakeholders in the private and public sector, including the South Carolina Department of Transportation, the South Carolina Department of Commerce, the South Carolina Department of Revenue, and other relevant stakeholders;(2) examining the legislative and regulatory environmental, economic, and customer challenges and opportunities;(3) identifying challenges and opportunities in electrified vehicle technologies, such as power conversion and energy storage, the grid integration of electrified transportation and transportation policies, that pave the way for electrified transportation; and(4) identifying efforts to enable a more efficient and cost-effective transition to electric transportation.(C) To the extent necessary to carry out its responsibilities, the Office of Regulatory Staff is authorized to employ third-party consultants and experts, by contract or otherwise, as the Office of Regulatory Staff may consider necessary to assist regulatory staff in the proper discharge of its duties and responsibilities as provided by this section. The expenses for the employment of any third-party consultant or expert authorized by this subsection must be paid from the assessments collected pursuant to Section 58-4-60. The Office of Regulatory Staff shall provide an accounting of compensation and expenses incurred for third-party consultants and experts in a report provided annually to the review committee. The Office of Regulatory Staff is exempt from the State Procurement Code in the selection and hiring of third-party consultants and experts as authorized by this subsection.(D) The Office of Regulatory Staff shall make initial recommendations to the Joint Committee on the Electrification of Transportation no earlier than July 1, 2022. Upon submitting the report, the Office of Regulatory staff shall convene additional stakeholder initiatives and report recommendations to the Joint Committee at least every two years thereafter.Added by 2021 S.C. Acts, Act No. 46 (SB 304),s 2, eff. 5/17/2021.