CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.House Bill 0141
Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 141
By Representative Roberts-Burke
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to motor vehicles; defining the
3 term "alternative fuel"; providing for an
4 alternative-fuel-use permit and
5 alternative-fuel decal to be issued by the
6 Department of Revenue for a fee; providing for
7 tax and fee exemptions; authorizing noneconomic
8 incentives for alternative-fuel vehicles;
9 providing an effective date.
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11 WHEREAS, motor vehicles powered by alternative fuels
12 advance economic activity, promote energy security, and
13 improve air quality, and
14 WHEREAS, there is a need to establish how many
15 alternative-fuel vehicles are operational in the state, and
16 WHEREAS, the issuance and display of a decal on all
17 alternative-fuel vehicles will enable the state to establish
18 how many alternative-fuel vehicles are operational and will
19 help identify those vehicles whose owners or operators are
20 entitled to benefits for using alternative fuels, and
21 WHEREAS, the provision of economic and noneconomic
22 incentives to use alternative fuels is critical to the
23 successful development of a sustainable market for
24 alternative-fuel vehicles, and
25 WHEREAS, the temporary waiver of taxes on alternative
26 fuels used in motor vehicles will be a significant incentive
27 to use alternative-fuel vehicles, and
28 WHEREAS, insignificant revenue is being raised on taxes
29 on alternative fuels used in motor vehicles, and therefore the
30 temporary waiver of those taxes will not cause significant
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Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 141
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1 losses of current revenue and will provide the opportunity for
2 significant increases in revenue in the future, and
3 WHEREAS, this waiver should remain in effect long
4 enough to develop a sustainable market for alternative-fuel
5 vehicles, and
6 WHEREAS, local governments and state agencies should be
7 encouraged to adopt noneconomic incentives for using
8 alternative-fuel vehicles, NOW, THEREFORE,
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10 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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12 Section 1. As used in this act, the term "alternative
13 fuel" means methanol, denatured ethanol, and other alcohols;
14 mixtures of gasoline or other fuels which contain 85 percent
15 or more by volume of methanol, denatured ethanol, and other
16 alcohols; natural gas; liquefied petroleum gas; hydrogen;
17 coal-derived liquid fuels; fuels, other than alcohol, derived
18 from biological material; and electricity.
19 Section 2. An owner or operator of a vehicle powered
20 by alternative fuel may register for an alternative-fuel-use
21 permit and alternative-fuel decal from the Department of
22 Revenue after payment of a $10 administrative fee and thereby
23 become exempt from all taxes and fees imposed by section
24 206.877, Florida Statutes. An application for this permit must
25 show whether the vehicle is dedicated, flexible-fueled, or
26 dual-fueled.
27 Section 3. The registration of an alternative-fuel
28 vehicle and the issuance of the alternative-fuel decal by the
29 Department of Revenue exempts an owner or operator from the
30 payment of the tax on sales of special fuels under part II of
31 chapter 212, Florida Statutes, the excise tax on fuel and
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Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 141
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1 other pollutants under part IV of chapter 206, Florida
2 Statutes, and the local option fuel taxes under sections
3 336.021, 336.025, and 336.026, Florida Statutes, on
4 alternative fuel when used as a motor fuel.
5 Section 4. The exemption from taxes and fees provided
6 in sections 2 and 3 remains in effect until October 1, 2002,
7 or until a total of 15,000 alternative-fuel decals has been
8 issued in a 12-month period by the Department of Revenue.
9 Section 5. (1) The registration of an
10 alternative-fuel vehicle and the issuance of the
11 alternative-fuel decal by the Department of Revenue allows the
12 owner or operator to be eligible for any adopted local, state,
13 or federal incentives for using alternative-fuel vehicles.
14 (2) Local governments and state agencies are
15 encouraged to develop noneconomic incentives for using
16 alternative-fuel vehicles, which incentives may include, but
17 are not limited to, exemptions from restrictions on using
18 high-occupancy-vehicle lanes for alternative-fuel vehicles,
19 toll holidays for alternative-fuel vehicles not otherwise
20 restricted, public-parking-fee abatement for alternative-fuel
21 vehicles, and preferential or designated parking for
22 alternative-fuel vehicles.
23 (3) Any private owner or operator of an alternative
24 fuel vehicle who does not register for the alternative-fuel
25 decal is ineligible for such noneconomic incentives.
26 Section 6. This act shall take effect October 1, 1997.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 1997 HB 141
235-210-97
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2 SENATE SUMMARY
3 Defines alternative fuel and authorizes tax and fee
exemptions and noneconomic incentives for the owner or
4 operator of a motor vehicle that has received an
alternative-fuel-use permit and decal. Authorizes the
5 Department of Revenue to issue an alternative-fuel-use
permit and decal for an administrative fee of $10.
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