By: Armbrister S.B. No. 1014
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to financing alternatives for the conversion of
1-2 government-owned vehicles to alternative fuels and the use of
1-3 alternative fuels by those vehicles; granting the authority to
1-4 issue bonds.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. The Texas Public Finance Authority Act (Article
1-7 601d, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes) is amended by adding Section
1-8 9C to read as follows:
1-9 Sec. 9C. ISSUANCE OF OBLIGATIONS FOR ALTERNATIVE
1-10 FUELS. (a) The authority may, if it determines that the project
1-11 is financially viable and sufficient revenue is or will be
1-12 available, issue and sell obligations for the financing of:
1-13 (1) the conversion of state agency vehicles to
1-14 alternative fuels under Section 3.29, State Purchasing and General
1-15 Services Act (Article 601b, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), and its
1-16 subsequent amendments;
1-17 (2) the construction, acquisition, or maintenance by
1-18 the General Services Commission of fueling stations supplying
1-19 alternative fuels or equipment to support state agency vehicles
1-20 that use alternative fuels;
1-21 (3) the conversion of school district motor vehicles
1-22 to alternative fuels under Section 21.174, Education Code, and its
1-23 subsequent amendments;
2-1 (4) the construction, acquisition, and maintenance by
2-2 a school district of fueling stations supplying alternative fuels
2-3 or equipment to support school district motor vehicles that use
2-4 alternative fuels;
2-5 (5) the conversion of local mass transit authority and
2-6 department motor vehicles to alternative fuels under Section 14,
2-7 Chapter 141, Acts of the 63rd Legislature, Regular Session, 1973
2-8 (Article 1118x, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes); Section 20, Chapter
2-9 683, Acts of the 66th Legislature, Regular Session, 1979 (Article
2-10 1118y, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes); and Section 6, Article
2-11 1118z, Revised Statutes, and their subsequent amendments;
2-12 (6) the construction, acquisition, or maintenance of
2-13 fueling stations supplying alternative fuels or equipment by a
2-14 local mass transit authority or department to support transit
2-15 authority or department vehicles that use alternative fuels; and
2-16 (7) joint ventures between the state or a political
2-17 subdivision that is required under law to use alternative fuels in
2-18 its vehicles and the private sector to convert vehicles to
2-19 alternative fuels, to develop fueling stations supplying
2-20 alternative fuels, aid in the distribution of alternative fuels,
2-21 and to engage in other projects to facilitate the use of
2-22 alternative fuels.
2-23 (b) The Board may provide for the payment of the principal
2-24 of and interest on the bonds and obligations issued under this
2-25 section:
3-1 (1) by pledging all or a part of the revenue derived
3-2 from the sale of alternative fuels, alternative fuel equipment, or
3-3 alternative fuel-powered vehicles by the state;
3-4 (2) by contractually agreeing with a political
3-5 subdivision or a private entity to pledge sufficient revenue from
3-6 the sale of alternative fuels, alternative fuel equipment, or
3-7 alternative fuel-powered vehicles by the political subdivision or
3-8 private entity to insure that the bonds or obligations are paid;
3-9 (3) by pledging appropriated general revenues of the
3-10 state, or other funds on deposit in the State Treasury; or
3-11 (4) from any other source of funds lawfully available
3-12 to the Board.
3-13 (c) Before bonds or other obligations are issued under
3-14 Subsection (a) of this section, the energy management center in the
3-15 office of the governor must certify that the proposed project will
3-16 increase energy and cost savings to the state or political
3-17 subdivision and decrease environmental pollution.
3-18 (d) The General Services Commission, a school district, or a
3-19 local mass transit authority or department listed in Subsection (a)
3-20 (5) of this section may make an agreement with the authority as
3-21 necessary to give effect to this section.
3-22 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
3-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-25 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-2 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-3 passage, and it is so enacted.