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.