Bill Text: TX HB3418 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the implementation by the Texas Department of Transportation of a vehicle mileage user fee pilot program and a task force to assist in developing and evaluating the program.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-05-17 - Left pending in committee [HB3418 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB3418-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relating to the implementation by the Texas Department of Transportation of a vehicle mileage user fee pilot program and a task force to assist in developing and evaluating the program.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2023-05-17 - Left pending in committee [HB3418 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB3418-Introduced.html
By: Canales | H.B. No. 3418 |
|
||
|
||
relating to the implementation by the Texas Department of | ||
Transportation of a vehicle mileage user fee pilot program and a | ||
task force to assist in developing and evaluating the program. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 502, Transportation Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subchapter M to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER M. VEHICLE MILEAGE USER FEE PILOT PROGRAM | ||
Sec. 502.501. LEGISLATIVE PURPOSE. (a) The purpose of this | ||
subchapter is to assess the feasibility of eliminating the state | ||
gasoline and diesel tax, also known as the motor fuel taxes, and | ||
other user fees for transportation. | ||
Sec. 502.502. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "Motor fuel taxes" means the motor fuel taxes | ||
imposed under Chapter 162, Tax Code. | ||
(2) "Pilot program" means the vehicle mileage user fee | ||
pilot program. | ||
(3) "Task force" means the vehicle mileage user fee | ||
task force. | ||
Sec. 502.503. TASK FORCE. (a) The vehicle mileage user fee | ||
task force is established to guide the development and evaluation | ||
of the vehicle mileage user fee pilot program to assess the | ||
potential for mileage-based revenue as an alternative to the | ||
current system of taxing highway use through motor fuel taxes. | ||
(b) The task force shall consist of seven members appointed | ||
as follows: | ||
(1) one member appointed by the lieutenant governor; | ||
(2) one member appointed by the speaker of the house of | ||
representatives; | ||
(3) one member appointed by the chair of the standing | ||
committee of the house of representatives having primary | ||
jurisdiction over transportation; | ||
(4) one member appointed by the chair of the standing | ||
committee of the senate having primary jurisdiction over | ||
transportation; and | ||
(5) three members appointed by the governor. | ||
(c) The task force shall: | ||
(1) conduct at least three public hearings gather | ||
public comment on issues and concerns related to the pilot program; | ||
(2) make recommendations to the department on the | ||
design and on the criteria to be used to evaluate the pilot program | ||
and other alternative approaches to motor fuel taxes; and | ||
(3) evaluate the pilot program. | ||
(d) In conducting hearings under Subsection (c)(1), the | ||
task force shall: | ||
(1) publish notice in accordance with Government Code | ||
551, referred to as "The Open Meetings Act"; and | ||
(2) publish notice on the department's website; and | ||
(3) provide interested persons with an opportunity to | ||
submit their opinions orally and in writing. | ||
(e) The department may create and maintain a website to | ||
allow members of the public to submit comments electronically. | ||
(f) On request, the department shall assist the task force | ||
in implementing this subchapter. | ||
Sec. 502.504. PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The department, in | ||
consultation with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and the | ||
Texas A&M Transportation Institute, shall develop and implement a | ||
statewide pilot program to assess a user fee on owners of commercial | ||
motor vehicles that is based on the number of miles traveled on | ||
public highways in this state by those vehicles. | ||
(b) The pilot program must: | ||
(1) include not more than 300 commercial motor | ||
vehicles, the operators of which will have on-board | ||
vehicle-mileage-counting equipment added to their vehicles, | ||
administered in a manner the department considers appropriate; | ||
(2) test the reliability, ease of use, cost, and | ||
public acceptance of technology and methods for: | ||
(A) counting the number of miles traveled by | ||
motor vehicles; | ||
(B) reporting the number of miles traveled by | ||
particular vehicles; and | ||
(C) collecting payments from participants in the | ||
pilot program; and | ||
(3) analyze and evaluate the ability of different | ||
technologies and methods to: | ||
(A) protect the integrity of data collected and | ||
reported; | ||
(B) ensure operators' privacy; and | ||
(C) vary pricing based on the time of driving, | ||
type of public highway, proximity to transit, vehicle fuel | ||
efficiency, participation in car-sharing or pooling, or the income | ||
of the operator. | ||
(c) The pilot program may not last less than one year. | ||
Sec. 502.505. COMPENSATION OF PARTICIPANTS. The department | ||
by rule shall establish a process to ensure that participants in the | ||
pilot program are not required to spend more on fees or taxes | ||
associated with road usage than if they had not participated in the | ||
program. A process adopted under this section may include a refund | ||
of motor fuel taxes paid by the participant or other compensation. | ||
Sec. 502.506. CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION. Identifying | ||
information about participants in the pilot program is confidential | ||
and is not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government | ||
Code. | ||
Sec. 502.507. REPORT. Not later than September 1, 2026, the | ||
department shall submit to the legislature a report summarizing the | ||
results of the pilot program, including: | ||
(1) the feasibility of permanently assessing a vehicle | ||
mileage user fee; | ||
(2) an evaluation of the impacts of a vehicle mileage | ||
user fee on the economy, the environment, and traffic congestion; | ||
(3) a comparison to other alternative approaches or | ||
supplements to motor fuel taxes; and | ||
(4) the department's recommendations together with | ||
suggested legislation necessary to implement the recommendations. | ||
Sec. 502.508. APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL FUNDING. The | ||
department shall submit an application to the United States | ||
Department of Transportation for funding in federal fiscal year | ||
2023 for the Surface Transportation System Funding Alternatives | ||
Program established in the Fixing America's Surface Transportation | ||
Act (Pub. L. No. 114-94) to help fund the pilot program. If the | ||
application is not successful, the department shall apply in each | ||
federal fiscal year in which grants are made available for | ||
demonstration projects under this federal program or until the | ||
application results in full or partial funding for a vehicle | ||
mileage user fee pilot program, whichever first occurs. | ||
Sec. 502.509. EXPIRATION OF SUBCHAPTER. This subchapter | ||
expires November 1, 2026. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |