BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

H.B. 3388

87R4723 MWC-F

By: Thompson, Ed (Hancock)

 

Business & Commerce

 

5/17/2021

 

Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

State agencies are currently required to report data on their vehicle fleets to the Texas fleet management system, which is managed by the comptroller's office of vehicle fleet management.

 

These requirements only apply to on-road units (not off-road equipment).

 

Agencies report fleet data on new acquisitions, fuel usage, meters, repairs, preventive maintenance, and retirements.

 

All participating state agencies are charged a system maintenance fee of $5.25 per vehicle for agencies owning five or more vehicles.

 

Agencies report that the data entry process is cumbersome and time consuming due to the large volume of information required by the Texas fleet management system, which can be time consuming and difficult to batch upload to the Texas fleet management system for agencies with large fleets.

 

The office of vehicle fleet management uses the information to calculate an agency's service charge and log mileage driven in its annual report.

 

While the office of vehicle fleet management offers technical assistance to agencies, a solution to improve the batch upload process has not been developed.

 

H.B. 3388 provides an exemption from reporting to the Texas fleet management system for state agencies with a fleet of more than 2,500 vehicles and exempts those agencies from paying the $5.25 per vehicle fee to the office of vehicle fleet management for maintaining their vehicle reporting system.

 

The bill also requires the exempted agencies to establish their own vehicle reporting systems and report vehicle data on an annual basis to the office of vehicle fleet management in the format used by the agencies reporting system.

 

H.B. 3388 amends current law relating to information regarding state agency vehicle fleets.

 

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 the heading to Section 2171.101, Government Code, to read as follows:

 

Sec. 2171.101. VEHICLE REPORTING SYSTEM; EXCEPTION.

 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 2171.101, Government Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d), as follows:

 

(a) Requires the office of vehicle fleet management shall establish a vehicle reporting system to assist state, rather than each state, agencies in the management of agency vehicle fleets. Requires a state agency, except as provided by Subsection (d), to submit vehicle fleet reports on a quarterly basis, not earlier than the 45th day or later than the 60th day after the date on which the quarter ends. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

 

(d) Requires a state agency with a fleet of more than 2,500 vehicles to establish and maintain a vehicle reporting system to assist the agency in the management of the agency's vehicle fleet. Requires the agency, not later than October 15 of each year, to submit to the office of vehicle fleet management the information the office requests regarding the agency's vehicle fleet for the previous state fiscal year. Authorizes the agency to provide the information in the format used by the agency's reporting system. Provides that the agency is exempt from paying to the office any fee for maintaining the vehicle reporting system established under Subsection (a). Makes nonsubstantive changes.

 

SECTION 3. Requires each state agency subject to Section 2171.101(d), Government Code, as added by this Act, to:

 

(1) establish a vehicle reporting system for the agency's vehicle fleet not later than October 1, 2021; and

 

(2) submit the report required by that subsection to the office of vehicle fleet management not later than October 15, 2021, or a later date determined by the office.

 

SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2021.