| TO: | Honorable John Carona, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation & Homeland Security |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB436 by Ellis (Relating to the operation of hybrid motor vehicles.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Transportation Code to require the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to issue a specially designed “hybrid vehicle” insignia at the time of registration of a hybrid motor vehicle. The bill would allow hybrid vehicles displaying the new insignia to use high occupancy vehicle lanes regardless of the number of passengers in the vehicle and exempts such vehicles from paying a toll for the use of a toll project.
Based on the analysis of TxDOT, it is assumed any costs associated with implementing a system to register hybrid vehicles could be absorbed within existing resources.
TxDOT indicates that the implementation of the bill would result in a loss of toll revenue depending on the number of state toll projects in operation and the number of registered hybrid vehicles using toll projects in each fiscal year. However, it is assumed the bill would not result in a significant impact to state revenue.
| Source Agencies: | 601 Department of Transportation
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, KJG, MW, TG
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