HOUSE BILL NO. 1809 Offered January 10, 2007 Prefiled December 29, 2006 A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 2.2-1176.1, relating to the Department of General Services; state purchase of clean alternative fuel or hybrid passenger-type vehicles. ---------- Patron-- Poisson ---------- Committee Referral Pending ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 2.2-1176.1 as follows:

§ 2.2-1176.1. Purchase of clean alternative fuel or hybrid passenger-type vehicles.

A. Clean alternative fuel or hybrid passenger-type vehicles shall be purchased by the Director and assigned to the centralized fleet according to the following annual percentage targets, provided such vehicles are available commercially and have a total life-cycle cost that is comparable to similar conventionally fueled passenger-type vehicles: 

1. Twenty-five percent of car purchases in fiscal year 2007-2008;

2. Fifty percent of car purchases in fiscal year 2008-2009;

3. Seventy-five percent of car purchases in fiscal year 2009-2010; and

4. One hundred percent of car purchases in fiscal year 2010-2011.

By July 1, 2012, a target of 100% of centralized fleet purchases shall be clean alternative fuel or hybrid passenger-type vehicles, provided such vehicles are available commercially and have a total life-cycle cost that is comparable to similar conventionally fueled passenger-type vehicles.

The Director shall ensure that a life-cycle cost analysis for the purchase of alternative fuel, hybrid, and conventional fuel passenger-type vehicles will be performed prior to making a contract award for the purchase of passenger-type vehicles.

B. For purposes of this section:

"Clean alternative fuel passenger-type vehicle" means any passenger-type vehicle fueled by methanol, ethanol, other alcohols, reformulated gasoline, diesel, natural gases, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, electricity or other power source that complies with the standards applicable to such vehicle under the federal Clean Air Act when using such fuel or other power source.

"Hybrid passenger-type vehicle" means any passenger-type, dual-fuel and bi-fuel vehicle equipped to operate on both a conventional fuel and an alternative fuel.

"Life-cycle cost" means the total cost of ownership for a vehicle computed by considering capital, operating, salvage, and environmental costs. 

C. The following vehicles shall not be subject to the provisions of this section:

1. Vehicles that have special equipment or performance requirements related to use by law-enforcement officers;

2. Vehicles for use by any elected official of the people of the Commonwealth;

3. Vehicles purchased by the Department of Transportation and used directly in carrying out its maintenance, operations, and construction programs; and

4. Such other special category of vehicles as may be excepted by the Director.