| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
Relating to programs established and funded under the Texas emissions reduction plan.
The fiscal impact to the state cannot be determined because the amount and terms of fee based contracts that could be entered into for purchasing nitrogen oxide reductions is unknown.
HB 2468 would expand the allowable uses of funding under the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan to include grants for the purchase, maintenance, upgrade, and operation of air monitoring equipment to be used in nonattainment areas and affected counties. The bill also increases the maximum allowable expenditures under the plan for various purposes including air quality research and making any necessary demonstrations to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The bill would also allow the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to engage in fee-based contracts for the purchase of reductions in emissions of nitrogen oxides.
Much of the current spending authorized under the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan allows for unwarranted government intervention in the economy by giving preferential treatment through subsidies to various things such as alternative fuels vehicles and related fueling facilities. HB 2468 expands allowable uses of program funding without increasing overall spending or creating new subsidy programs. For these reasons, Texas Action remains neutral on HB 2468.