By: Earley H.B. No. 1486 73R5413 JRD-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to requiring a state agency to consider the total cost to 1-3 the state of acquiring and operating a vehicle, including fuel 1-4 consumption costs, when the agency acquires a vehicle. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 3.29, State Purchasing and General 1-7 Services Act (Article 601b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is 1-8 amended by adding Subsection (i) to read as follows: 1-9 (i) A state agency that purchases or leases a vehicle shall 1-10 consider, when determining the lowest and best bid to supply the 1-11 vehicle, the state's probable total costs relating to the vehicle 1-12 over the period that the state projects it will use the vehicle. 1-13 The probable total costs include lease or purchase costs, estimated 1-14 maintenance costs, and estimated fuel costs. If the combined 1-15 usefulness and estimated total cost to the state of different 1-16 vehicles are equal, the agency shall give a preference to the more 1-17 fuel-efficient vehicle. This subsection does not affect a state 1-18 agency's duty under Subsections (b)-(h) of this section to acquire 1-19 a vehicle that uses or may be converted to use alternative fuels. 1-20 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-1 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-2 passage, and it is so enacted.