BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 763
81R2187 JJT-D By: Watson
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
This bill requires certain state agencies that purchase vehicles to purchase a certain percentage of fuel-efficient, low emission vehicles.
An agency is exempt if the vehicle would be used by a peace officer or the extent that vehicles that meet the agency needs are not commercially available.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that this bill will result in reduced fuel costs of about $200-$1,500 per vehicle, per year, and the environment will benefit because these vehicles release less carbon dioxide.
As proposed, S.B. 763 requires state agencies to ensure that at least 50 percent of new vehicles purchased meet or exceed an EPA rating of a Tier II, Bin 3 vehicle, with a greenhouse gas score of at least eight.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 2158.009, Government Code, by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d), as follows:
(b) Requires a state agency authorized to purchase passenger vehicles or other ground transportation vehicles for general use to ensure that not less than 50 percent of the vehicles the agency purchases, rather than 10 percent of its vehicle purchases, during any state fiscal biennium, other than vehicles the purchase of which is exempted from this subsection by Subsection (c) (regarding the exemption of a state agency for vehicles that meet the agency's needs that are not commercially available) or (d), are vehicles, rather than are purchases of vehicles, that meet or exceed the emissions standards necessary to be rated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as a Tier II, Bin 3, emissions standard vehicle that has a greenhouse gas score of eight under regulations of that agency as they existed September 1, 2007. Makes nonsubstantive changes.
(d) Provides that Subsection (b) does not apply to a state agency's purchase of a vehicle to be used by a peace officer, as defined by Article 2.12 (Who Are Peace Officers), Code of Criminal Procedure, whose duties include the apprehension of persons for violation of a criminal law of this state.
SECTION 2. Repealer: Section 2158.009(a) (regarding the application of this section only to a state agency that purchases 10 or more vehicles in a state fiscal biennium), Government Code.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2009.