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.