GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2007

H                                                                                                                                                    1

HOUSE BILL 2720

Short Title:     Energy-Efficient State Motor Vehicle Fleets.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Representatives Thomas, Harrison, Martin (Primary Sponsors);  Alexander, Bordsen, Bryant, Carney, Coleman, Cotham, Current, Dickson, Fisher, Glazier, Goforth, Hughes, Insko, Jones, Justice, Luebke, McLawhorn, Mobley, Parmon, Samuelson, Tarleton, Underhill, Walend, Wilkins, Womble, and Wray.
Referred to:	Energy and Energy Efficiency, if favorable, Appropriations.

May 28, 2008

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to require every NEW passenger MOTOR VEHICLE TRANSFERRED TO OR PURCHASED BY THE DEPARTMENT of administration or by the department of transportation to have A FUEL ECONOMY RATING, AS DETERMINED BY THE UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY FOR THE NEW VEHICLE'S MODEL YEAR, IN THE TOP TEN PERCENT FOR ITS CLASS OF VEHICLES.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 143-341(8) reads as rewritten:

"(8)      General Services:

…

i.          To establish and operate a central motor pool and such subsidiary related facilities as the Secretary may deem necessary, and to that end:

1.         To establish and operate central facilities for the maintenance, repair, and storage of state-owned passenger motor vehicles for the use of State agencies; to utilize any available State facilities for that purpose; and to establish such subsidiary facilities as the Secretary may deem necessary.

2.         To acquire passenger motor vehicles by transfer from other State agencies and by purchase. All motor vehicles transferred to or purchased by the Department shall become part of a central motor pool. Every new motor vehicle transferred to or purchased by the Department that is designed to operate on diesel fuel shall be covered by an express manufacturer's warranty that allows the use of B-20 fuel, as defined in G.S. 143-58.4. This sub-sub-subdivision does not apply if the intended use, as determined by the Department, of the new motor vehicle requires a type of vehicle for which an express manufacturer's warranty allows the use of B-20 fuel is not available. Further, every new motor vehicle transferred to or purchased by the Department shall have a fuel economy rating, as determined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for the new vehicle's model year, that is in the top ten percent (10%) for its class of vehicles. The required fuel economy rating under this sub-subdivision does not apply to emergency vehicles.

…."

SECTION 2.  Article 2 of Chapter 136 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 136-28.16. Vehicle's fuel economy rating requirement.

(a) Every new passenger motor vehicle transferred to or purchased by the Department of Transportation shall have a fuel economy rating, as determined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, for the new vehicle's model year, that is in the top ten percent (10%) for its class of vehicles.

(b) The required fuel economy rating under subsection (a) of this section does not apply to emergency vehicles."

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2008, and applies to contracts entered into on or after that date to purchase passenger motor vehicles or to transfer passenger motor vehicles from other State agencies.