Florida Subcommittee Deletes Provision Requiring Creation of Program to Tax Cars for Miles Traveled; Senate Bill Still Alive

URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT (UPDATE)
 

Florida Subcommittee Deletes Provision Requiring Creation of Program to Tax Cars for Miles Traveled; Senate Bill Still Alive

Success!  The Florida House Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee approved amendedlegislation (H.B. 7075) that originally directed the Department of Transportation to undertake a study on the impact of implementing a system that charges drivers based on vehicle miles traveled (VMT).  Under the amendment, the entire program has been deleted from the bill.  However, a Florida Senate version of the bill (S.B. 1186) has been approved by the Senate Transportation Committee and is pending in the Regulated Industries Committee.

We Urge You to Contact Senate Regulated Industries Committee Members (List Below) Immediately To Request Their Opposition to S.B. 1186

  • S.B. 1186 provides that the Center for Urban Transportation, in consultation with the Florida Transportation Commission, would establish a pilot program to study the feasibility of implementing a system that charges drivers based on VMT.
     
  • In addition to creating privacy concerns, the bill seeks to penalize national efforts to create a more fuel efficient vehicle fleet by taxing drivers based on vehicle mileage.  As gas tax revenues decrease due to hybrid and electric vehicle ownership, states are looking for new sources of funding for pet projects.
     
  • S.B. 1186 allows the Center for Urban Transportation to spend up to $400,000 for the study and pilot project design and provides for the implementation of the pilot program in 2017.

DON’T DELAY!  Please contact members of the Senate Regulated Industries Committee immediately to request opposition to S.B. 1186.  

Please e-mail a copy of your letter to Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.  Also, please forward this Alert to your fellow car enthusiasts.  Urge them to join the SAN and help defend the hobby! Thank you for your assistance. 

Florida Senate Regulated Industries Committee

To e-mail all Committee members, copy and paste the email address block below:

bradley.rob.web@flsenate.gov; margolis.gwen.web@flsenate.gov; abruzzo.joseph.web@flsenate.gov; bean.aaron.web@flsenate.gov; braynon.oscar.web@flsenate.gov; portilla.miguel.web@flsenate.gov; flores.anitere.web@flsenate.gov; latvala.jack.web@flsenate.gov; negron.joe.web@flsenate.gov; richter.garrett.web@flsenate.gov; sachs.maria.web@flsenate.gov; stargel.kelli.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Rob Bradley (Chair)
Phone: (850) 487-5007
Email: bradley.rob.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Gwen Margolis (Vice-Chair)
Phone: (850) 487-5035
Email: margolis.gwen.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Joseph Abruzzo
Phone: (850) 487-5025
Email: abruzzo.joseph.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Aaron Bean
Phone: (850) 487-5004
Email: bean.aaron.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Oscar Braynon, II
Phone: (850) 487-5036
Email: braynon.oscar.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla
Phone: (850) 487-5040
Email: portilla.miguel.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Anitere Flores
Phone: (850) 487-5037
Email: flores.anitere.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Jack Latvala
Phone: (850) 487-5020
Email: latvala.jack.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Joe Negron
Phone: (850) 487-5032
Email: negron.joe.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Garrett Richter
Phone: (850) 487-5023
Email: richter.garrett.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Maria Lorts Sachs
Phone: (850) 487-5034
Email: sachs.maria.web@flsenate.gov

Senator Kelli Stargel
Phone: (850) 487-5015
Email: stargel.kelli.web@flsenate.gov