BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2423

By: Davis

Environmental Regulation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Typically, older model vehicles are the most polluting and thus have a bigger impact on the air quality in the nonattainment counties. Current law requires vehicles at least two and less than 25 years old to undergo emissions testing. The current phaseout for this requirement will soon allow vehicles made in 1997 to no longer have to submit for emissions testing beginning in 2022, despite a number of these vehicles remaining on the road. H.B. 2423 seeks to address this issue by establishing a fixed cutoff for the requirement to participate in the emissions testing program so that vehicles with a model year of 1997 or later will no longer be phased out of the program.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2423 amends the Health and Safety Code to change the phased cutoff requiring periodic state vehicle emissions and safety inspection of a gasoline-powered vehicle on the basis of the vehicle being at least two and less than 25 years old to a fixed cutoff on the basis of the vehicle being at least two years old and a model year 1997 or later.

EFFECTIVE DATE

January 1, 2022.