262.25A Purchase of automobiles.

1. Institutions under the control of the state board of regents shall purchase only new automobiles which have at least the fuel economy required for purchase of new automobiles by the director of the department of administrative services under section 8A.362, subsection 4. This subsection does not apply to automobiles purchased for law enforcement purposes.

2. A gasoline-powered motor vehicle purchased by the institutions shall not operate on gasoline other than ethanol blended gasoline as defined in section 214A.1, unless under emergency circumstances or if to do so would result in the use of a percentage of ethanol blended gasoline higher than recommended by the vehicle manufacturer or would result in a violation of the vehicle’s manufacturer warranty. A diesel-powered motor vehicle purchased by the institutions shall not operate on diesel fuel other than biodiesel fuel as defined in section 214A.1, if commercially available, unless to do so would result in the use of a percentage of biodiesel not recommended by the vehicle manufacturer or would result in violation of the vehicle’s manufacturer warranty, or under emergency circumstances. A state-issued credit card shall not be used to purchase gasoline other than ethanol blended gasoline if commercially available or to purchase diesel fuel other than biodiesel fuel if commercially available. The motor vehicle shall also be affixed with a brightly visible sticker which notifies the traveling public that the motor vehicle is being operated on ethanol blended gasoline or biodiesel fuel, as applicable. However, the sticker is not required to be affixed to an unmarked vehicle used for purposes of providing law enforcement or security.

3. a. Of all new passenger vehicles and light pickup trucks purchased by or under the direction of the state board of regents, a minimum of ten percent of all such vehicles and trucks purchased shall be equipped with engines which utilize alternative methods of propulsion, including but not limited to any of the following:

(1) A flexible fuel which is any of the following:

(a) E-85 gasoline as provided in section 214A.2.

(b) B-20 biodiesel blended fuel as provided in section 214A.2.

(c) A renewable fuel approved by the office of renewable fuels and coproducts pursuant to section 159A.3.

(2) Compressed or liquefied natural gas.

(3) Propane gas.

(4) Solar energy.

(5) Electricity.

b. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to vehicles and trucks purchased and directly used for law enforcement or off-road maintenance work.

89 Acts, ch 297, §4; 91 Acts, ch 254, §15; 93 Acts, ch 26, §4; 94 Acts, ch 1119, §26; 94 Acts, ch 1199, §65; 98 Acts, ch 1119, §25; 98 Acts, ch 1164, §40; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §231; 2006 Acts, ch 1142, §63, 64; 2007 Acts, ch 22, §63; 2008 Acts, ch 1169, §38, 42