Honorable Brooks Landgraf, Chair, House Committee on Environmental Regulation
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3868 by Landgraf (relating to programs established and funded under the Texas emissions reduction plan.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) Trust Fund No. 1201 (TERP Trust Fund) is located outside the Treasury. This bill would amend the Health and Safety Code to eliminate the Governmental Alternative Fuel Fleet Program (GAFF); consolidate four TERP sub-programs into the Texas Clean Fleet Program (TCFP); require the agency to administer a program that involves creating and managing a database of owners of pre-2009 model year diesel-powered vehicles who would be willing to partner with potential applicants to state or local vehicle replacement grant programs, and to conduct public outreach, publish educational and informational materials, and permit the agency to collaborate with local entities to encourage participation in the program; require the agency to create a database of owners of pre-2009 diesel powered vehicles that could be accessed by applicants to state or local vehicle replacement grant programs; change the initial funding allocations and limitations for certain other TERP grant programs; and add a new section under the Texas Clean School Bus Program related to refueling infrastructure and equipment or services.
Costs associated with developing and administering a database and for program outreach purposes would be paid from the TERP Trust Fund. Based on information provided by TCEQ, the agency could implement the provisions of the bill from the administrative allocation of the TERP Trust Fund which allows expenditures of no more than 15.0 percent of funds from the TERP Trust Fund for administrative costs. The bill would have no fiscal implication to the state due to the TERP Trust Fund being located outside the Treasury.
Local Government Impact
The fiscal implications of the bill to units of local government cannot be determined at this time. Based on information provided by the Commission on Environmental Quality, local and other governmental entities would no longer have access to TERP grants through the GAFF program due to the elimination of the program by the bill.