House Bill 4493

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HB 4493

        By Representative Ogles






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to alternative fuel vehicles;

  3         creating the "Florida Clean Fuel Act;"

  4         providing purposes; providing definitions;

  5         establishing the Clean Fuel Florida Task Force;

  6         specifying membership; requiring a report

  7         containing recommendations for pilot programs;

  8         requiring a report to the Legislature;

  9         requiring a budget; amending s. 322.21, F.S.;

10         providing for deposit of a portion of fees for

11         driver's licenses into the Energy Consumption

12         Trust Fund for certain purposes; providing

13         effective dates.

14

15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

16

17         Section 1.  Short title and purpose.--

18         (1)  This act may be cited as the "Florida Clean Fuel

19  Act."

20         (2)  The purposes of this act are to establish the

21  Clean Fuel Florida Task Force under the Department of

22  Community Affairs to study the implementation of alternative

23  fuel vehicles and to formulate and provide to the Secretary of

24  Community Affairs recommendations on expanding the use of

25  alternative fuel vehicles in this state.

26         Section 2.  Definitions.--For purposes of this act:

27         (1)  "Alternative fuels" include electricity,

28  biodiesel, natural gas, propane, and any other fuel that may

29  be deemed appropriate in the future by the Department of

30  Community Affairs with guidance from the Clean Fuel Florida

31  Task Force.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HB 4493

    520-184A-98






  1         (2)  "Alternative fuel vehicles" include on-road and

  2  off-road transportation vehicles and light-duty, medium-duty,

  3  and heavy-duty vehicles that are powered by an alternative

  4  fuel or a combination of alternative fuels.

  5         Section 3.  Clean Fuel Florida Task Force established;

  6  membership; duties and responsibilities.--

  7         (1)  The Clean Fuel Florida Task Force is established.

  8         (2)(a)  Within 30 days after the effective date of this

  9  act, the Secretary of Community Affairs shall appoint

10  members of the task force.

11         (b)  The task force shall consist of:

12         1.  The Secretary of Community Affairs, or a designee

13  from that department.

14         2.  The Secretary of Environmental Protection, or a

15  designee from that department.

16         3.  The Secretary of Education, or a designee from that

17  department.

18         4.  The Secretary of Transportation, or a designee from

19  that department.

20         5.  The Commissioner of Agriculture, or a designee from

21  that department.

22         6.  A representative of each of:

23         a.  The Florida biodiesel industry.

24         b.  The Florida electric utility/vehicle industry.

25         c.  The Florida natural gas industry.

26         d.  The Florida propane gas industry.

27         e.  The American Automobile Manufacturers Association.

28         f.  The Florida Suncoast, Gold Coast, or Space Coast

29  Clean City Coalition.

30         g.  Enterprise Florida, Inc.

31         h.  The Florida Alliance for Clean Technology.

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HB 4493

    520-184A-98






  1         i.  The Florida petroleum industry.

  2         j.  The Florida League of Cities.

  3         k.  The Florida Association of Counties.

  4         (3)(a)  Task force members shall, within 90 days after

  5  their first meeting, make recommendations to the Department of

  6  Community Affairs for establishing pilot programs in this

  7  state that provide experience and support the best use

  8  expansion of the alternative fuel vehicle industry in this

  9  state.  Such recommendations shall include, but not be limited

10  to, distribution formulas, reporting mechanisms, and public

11  education.  No funds shall be released for a project unless

12  there is at least a 50 percent private or local match.

13         (b)  In addition to the pilot programs, the task force

14  shall assess federal, state, and local initiatives to identify

15  incentives that encourage successful alternative fuel vehicle

16  programs, obstacles to alternative fuel vehicle use, including

17  legislative, regulatory, and economic obstacles, and programs

18  that educate and inform the public about alternative fuel

19  vehicles.

20         (c)  Based on its findings, the task force shall

21  develop recommendations to the Legislature on future

22  alternative fuel vehicle programs and legislative changes that

23  provide the best use of state and other resources to expand

24  the alternative fuel vehicle market in this state and maximize

25  the return on that investment in terms of job creation,

26  economic development, petroleum displacement, and emissions

27  reduction.

28         (4)  The task force, working with the Department of

29  Community Affairs, shall develop a budget for the department's

30  approval and all expenditures shall be approved by the

31

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    Florida House of Representatives - 1998                HB 4493

    520-184A-98






  1  department. At the conclusion of the first year, the

  2  department shall conduct an audit of the programs.

  3         Section 4.  Effective July 1, 1999, subsection (5) of

  4  section 322.21, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:

  5         322.21  License fees; procedure for handling and

  6  collecting fees.--

  7         (5)  The department shall collect and transmit all fees

  8  received by the department it under this section to the

  9  Treasurer. The Treasurer shall deposit 10 cents of each fee

10  charged under this section for issuance of an original or

11  renewal driver's license into a separate account within the

12  Energy Consumption Trust Fund, established under s. 420.36, to

13  be used exclusively to promote the use of alternatively fueled

14  vehicles by local governments, businesses, and individuals.

15  The Treasurer shall deposit the remainder of moneys received

16  under this subsection into to be placed in the General Revenue

17  Fund of the state, and sufficient funds for the necessary

18  expenses of the department shall be included in the

19  appropriations act.  Except as provided in this subsection,

20  the fees shall be used for the maintenance and operation of

21  the department.

22         Section 5.  Except as otherwise provided herein, this

23  act shall take effect upon becoming a law.

24

25            *****************************************

26                          HOUSE SUMMARY

27
      Creates the "Florida Clean Fuel Act" and establishes the
28    Clean Fuel Florida Task Force to develop recommendations
      for establishing pilot programs for expanding the
29    alternative fuel vehicle industry in this state.
      Providing for deposit of 10 cents of the fees charged for
30    driver's licenses into the Energy Consumption Trust Fund
      for purposes of promoting the use of alternative fuel
31    vehicles in this state. See bill for details.

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