Sec. 2158.004. VEHICLES USING ALTERNATIVE FUELS. (a) A state agency operating a fleet of more than 15 vehicles, excluding law enforcement and emergency vehicles, may not purchase or lease a motor vehicle unless that vehicle uses compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, methanol or methanol/gasoline blends of 85 percent or greater, ethanol or ethanol/gasoline blends of 85 percent or greater, biodiesel or biodiesel/diesel blends of 20 percent or greater, or electricity, including electricity to power a plug-in hybrid motor vehicle.

(b) A state agency may obtain equipment or refueling facilities necessary to operate vehicles using compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, methanol or methanol/gasoline blends of 85 percent or greater, ethanol or ethanol/gasoline blends of 85 percent or greater, biodiesel or biodiesel/diesel blends of 20 percent or greater, or electricity, including electricity to power a plug-in hybrid motor vehicle:

(1) by purchase or lease as authorized by law;

(2) by gift or loan of the equipment or facilities; or

(3) by gift or loan of the equipment or facilities or by another arrangement under a service contract for the supply of compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, methanol or methanol/gasoline blends of 85 percent or greater, ethanol or ethanol/gasoline blends of 85 percent or greater, biodiesel or biodiesel/diesel blends of 20 percent or greater, or electricity, including electricity to power a plug-in hybrid motor vehicle.

(c) If the equipment or facilities are donated, loaned, or provided through another arrangement with the supplier of compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, methanol or methanol/gasoline blends of 85 percent or greater, ethanol or ethanol/gasoline blends of 85 percent or greater, biodiesel or biodiesel/diesel blends of 20 percent or greater, or electricity, including electricity to power a plug-in hybrid motor vehicle, the supplier is entitled to recoup its actual cost of donating, loaning, or providing the equipment or facilities through its fuel charges under the supply contract.

(d) The comptroller may waive the requirements of this section for a state agency on receipt of certification supported by evidence acceptable to the comptroller that:

(1) the agency's vehicles will be operating primarily in an area in which neither the agency nor a supplier has or can reasonably be expected to establish adequate refueling for compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, methanol or methanol/gasoline blends of 85 percent or greater, ethanol or ethanol/gasoline blends of 85 percent or greater, biodiesel or biodiesel/diesel blends of 20 percent or greater, or electricity, including electricity to power a plug-in hybrid motor vehicle; or

(2) the agency is unable to obtain equipment or refueling facilities necessary to operate vehicles using compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, methanol or methanol/gasoline blends of 85 percent or greater, ethanol or ethanol/gasoline blends of 85 percent or greater, biodiesel or biodiesel/diesel blends of 20 percent or greater, or electricity, including electricity to power a plug-in hybrid motor vehicle, at a projected cost that is reasonably expected to be no greater than the net costs of continued use of conventional gasoline or diesel fuels, measured over the expected useful life of the equipment or facilities supplied.

(e) Except for the purchase or lease of a motor vehicle for use in a nonattainment area designated under Section 107(d) of the federal Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. Section 7407), as amended, Subsection (a) does not apply to a purchase or lease by the Railroad Commission of Texas.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 41, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Renumbered from Government Code Sec. 2158.002 and amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 17.02(a); Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 518, Sec. 1, June 20, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1272, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 900 (H.B. 432), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2009.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1071 (H.B. 1524), Sec. 76, eff. September 1, 2019.