AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

H.B. 991 works to increase and improve consumer transparency concerning retail motor fuel taxes by amending the Agriculture Code to require the Texas Department of Agriculture to display on each motor fuel pump from which motor fuel is sold at retail a notice of the current rates of the federal and state motor fuel taxes. The bill requires the notice to display the current rate of each tax, in cents per gallon, for each type of motor fuel; to be displayed on each face of the motor fuel pump on which the price of the motor fuel sold from the pump is displayed; and to be displayed in a clear, conspicuous and prominent manner. (Original Author's / Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

 

C.S.H.B. 991 amends current law relating to the display of notice of federal and state tax rates for motor fuel sold at retail.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Department of Agriculture in SECTION 1 (Section 17.0515, Agriculture Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 17, Agriculture Code, by adding Section 17.0515, as follows:

 

Sec. 17.0515. NOTICE OF MOTOR FUEL TAX RATES. Requires the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) to display or require to be displayed on each motor fuel pump from which motor fuel is sold at retail a notice of the current rates of the federal and state motor fuel taxes. Requires that the notice:

 

(1) display the current rate of each tax, in cents per gallon, for each type of motor fuel;

 

(2) be displayed on each face of the motor fuel pump on which the price of the motor fuel sold from the pump is displayed; and

 

(3) be displayed in a clear, conspicuous, and prominent manner.

 

(b) Authorizes TDA to include the notice required under Subsection (a) with any other notice displayed or required by TDA rule to be displayed, including a "Fuel Feedback?" sticker.

 

SECTION 2. Provides that TDA is not required to display, or may not require to be displayed, a notice on a motor fuel pump under Section 17.0515, Agriculture Code, as added by this Act, until the later of the date:

 

(1) TDA is at the pump's location for an inspection or other official business; or

 

(2) TDA's inventory of "Fuel Feedback?" stickers on hand on the effective date of this Act is used and TDA acquires new stickers.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: January 1, 2016.