By: Harper-Brown H.B. No. 3836
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of a motor vehicle mileage fee
  program for certain motor vehicles by the Texas Department of Motor
  Vehicles; authorizing a fee.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
               (1)  "Department" means the Texas Department of Motor
  Vehicles.
               (2)  "Electric motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle
  that uses electricity as its only source of motor power.
               (3)  "Liquefied fuel motor vehicle" means a motor
  vehicle that operates on one or any combination of the following:
                     (A)  liquefied natural gas;
                     (B)  butane;
                     (C)  ethane; or
                     (D)  propane.
         SECTION 2.  ELECTRIC MOTOR VEHICLE AND LIQUEFIED FUEL MOTOR
  VEHICLE MILEAGE FEE PROGRAM. (a) The department by rule shall
  establish and implement a statewide program to assess owners of
  electric motor vehicles and liquefied fuel motor vehicles a vehicle
  mileage fee that is based on the number of miles traveled on public
  roads in this state by those motor vehicles. The program must
  require all electric motor vehicles and liquefied fuel motor
  vehicles registered in this state to be subject to the mileage fee.
         (b)  The department shall establish a method to determine
  vehicle mileage. The method may include, but is not limited to:
               (1)  an odometer reading that will occur in a manner
  specified by the department; or
               (2)  a device installed in the vehicle that
  electronically reports the number of miles traveled.
         (c)  The department, in consultation with the Texas
  Department of Transportation, Department of Public Safety, and
  comptroller of public accounts, by rule shall:
               (1)  establish the administrative framework needed to
  assess an electric motor vehicle and liquefied fuel motor vehicle
  mileage fee; and
               (2)  set the amount of the electric motor vehicle and
  liquefied fuel motor vehicle mileage fee on a per mile basis. In
  determining the amount of the fee, the department shall consider
  the average amount of gasoline tax paid for a gasoline-powered
  motor vehicle of a comparable class.
         (d)  The department must establish the administrative
  framework needed to implement a system for assessing a motor
  vehicle mileage fee not later than January 1, 2014. The program must
  begin not later than January 1, 2014.
         SECTION 3.  EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect
  immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members
  elected to
  each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas
  Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for
  immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.