Honorable Troy Fraser, Chair, Senate Committee on Natural Resources
FROM:
John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3272 by Burnam (Relating to the low-income vehicle repair assistance, retrofit, and accelerated vehicle retirement program.), As Engrossed
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would add the definitions of an electric vehicle and natural gas vehicle and amend the definition of a hybrid vehicle for purposes relating to the Low-Income Vehicle Repair Assistance, Retrofit, and Accelerated Vehicle Retirement Program (LIRAP). The bill also would change the length of time that a vehicle must be registered in a LIRAP county to be eligible for the program from 12 months to at least 12 of the 15 months preceding the application for participation in the program. The bill would expand the replacement assistance that was reserved for hybrid vehicles to include hybrid, electric, natural gas, and federal Tier 2, Bin 3 or cleaner vehicles for the current model year or the previous three model years. The bill would limit a replacement vehicle under the program to an odometer reading of not more than 70,000 miles and raise the total cost allowed to not more than $35,000 for certain vehicles and $45,000 for certain other vehicles, versus $25,000 for all vehicles under current law. The bill would requires the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to establish a partnership with representatives from the steel industry, automobile dismantlers, and scrap metal recycling industry to ensure that vehicles retired under the LIRAP are scrapped or recycled.
Although the bill would make changes to the types of vehicles eligible for LIRAP grant funding, no significant fiscal implication to the TCEQ is expected as a result of the bill's passage.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 582 Commission on Environmental Quality