brucet999
Active Member
Oh how I envy you Texans. If our CA legislature met only every two years they would be able to do only half as much damage to the state as they do now.
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Oh how I envy you Texans. If our CA legislature met only every two years they would be able to do only half as much damage to the state as they do now.
TexLaw
Member
I wouldn't be surprised if they were, but they have bigger fish to fry. They can let the very powerful dealership lobby fight this one, as they have a good deal more to lose.
They haven't in the past. It's unlikely they care much whether cars are sold directly or through dealers. There is another lobby who cares a great deal though, and that is the beer distributors. They have similar protectionist laws as the auto dealer cartel and often tag team each other. Neither wants a free market precedent to be set that might be used to affect the other.
SB 2093, the direct sales bill in the Senate, was sent to the Business and Commerce Committee today.
Chair- Hancock
Vice Chair- Creighton
Members- Campbell, Estes, Nichols, Schwertner, Taylor, Whitmire, Zaffarini
Sen. Hancock sponsored the Tesla bill in the last session and then withdrew his support under pressure. Sen Estes sponsored the 2013 bill and he supports this year's bill according to a post above.
We need to start flooding these senators with requests to schedule a hearing on the bill. Remember that last session's bill never even came up in the Senate committee (a different one), which was an easy non-public way for them to kill it. Several on these senators on Business and Commerce have large concentrations of Tesla owners and prospective owners in their districts. Hancock represents parts of Tarrant and Dallas counties. Schwertner represents the northern Austin suburbs of Williamson county. Campbell represents the area from Hays county south to northern San Antonio. Whitmire represents some of Harris county. If you live in the district one of these senators represents, please call or email them to ask that the committee schedule a hearing on the bill. You can be sure they're already hearing from their auto dealers. Contact info for Texas state senators can be found here:
Elected Officials Directory | The Texas Tribune
Also for anyone in Texas, if you haven't already done so please go to Support Tesla in Texas , click Take Action, and follow the steps to send a letter to your state senator and representative. It takes less than 30 seconds.
Chair- Hancock
Vice Chair- Creighton
Members- Campbell, Estes, Nichols, Schwertner, Taylor, Whitmire, Zaffarini
Sen. Hancock sponsored the Tesla bill in the last session and then withdrew his support under pressure. Sen Estes sponsored the 2013 bill and he supports this year's bill according to a post above.
We need to start flooding these senators with requests to schedule a hearing on the bill. Remember that last session's bill never even came up in the Senate committee (a different one), which was an easy non-public way for them to kill it. Several on these senators on Business and Commerce have large concentrations of Tesla owners and prospective owners in their districts. Hancock represents parts of Tarrant and Dallas counties. Schwertner represents the northern Austin suburbs of Williamson county. Campbell represents the area from Hays county south to northern San Antonio. Whitmire represents some of Harris county. If you live in the district one of these senators represents, please call or email them to ask that the committee schedule a hearing on the bill. You can be sure they're already hearing from their auto dealers. Contact info for Texas state senators can be found here:
Elected Officials Directory | The Texas Tribune
Also for anyone in Texas, if you haven't already done so please go to Support Tesla in Texas , click Take Action, and follow the steps to send a letter to your state senator and representative. It takes less than 30 seconds.
Even if you don't live in one of the above districts, contact your senator anyway. You never know who is gym buddies with whom. I reached out to my senator and my state rep, Angie Chen Button. Rep. Button replied with a letter saying she would take my views into consideration if it came up for a vote. Every call and email helps!
HB 4236, the direct sales bill, was referred to the Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee today. It's the same committee as in 2015, but a few of the players are different.
Chair- John Kuempel
Vice Chair- Ryan Guillen
Members- John Frullo, Charlie Geren, Craig Goldman, Ana Hernandez, Abel Herrero, Chris Paddie, Sefronia Thompson
Their email addresses and phone numbers can be found here:
Elected Officials Directory | The Texas Tribune
Texans, please contact them to ask for the committee to schedule a hearing and for them to support the bill. Especially if one of these is your representative! Geren and Goldman represent parts of the Ft. Worth area, but I doubt there are many Tesla owners in the others' districts.
Chair- John Kuempel
Vice Chair- Ryan Guillen
Members- John Frullo, Charlie Geren, Craig Goldman, Ana Hernandez, Abel Herrero, Chris Paddie, Sefronia Thompson
Their email addresses and phone numbers can be found here:
Elected Officials Directory | The Texas Tribune
Texans, please contact them to ask for the committee to schedule a hearing and for them to support the bill. Especially if one of these is your representative! Geren and Goldman represent parts of the Ft. Worth area, but I doubt there are many Tesla owners in the others' districts.
You don't expect them to take a fair, balanced view do you. They have too much cash on the line to do that. Self interest rules there.
The dealership lobby has a tight grip on the personal election funds of all the key players involved, ethics and fair play has no part in it.
This bill actually could turn out to be good for Tesla. It would be the first small crack in the dealer franchise law . Once the law is no longer sacrosanct, further amendments may be easier.
It is ironic though that this bill relates to a Chinese car company. An argument that TADA used in previous sessions was that letting Tesla sell a small number of cars direct could open the door to Chinese car companies selling direct to consumers in the future.
It is ironic though that this bill relates to a Chinese car company. An argument that TADA used in previous sessions was that letting Tesla sell a small number of cars direct could open the door to Chinese car companies selling direct to consumers in the future.
That article talks about an RV manufacturer. What happened to the Chinese car manufacturer? Or are they just cherry picking some facts.
Yep. And the part of the letter that says "use our tax dollars to pick winners and losers" is exactly what Romney said the gov't shouldn't do during the 2008 presidential election. IMO, now the Texas politicians are pushing a loser (in the sense that Tesla has created it's own brand already) company (BYD) through the system instead of promoting the USA company we all love. I have fought my inlaws on all this for years and now look what we have going on....
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It's both. Berkshire Hathaway owns an RV manufacturer in the U.S. and owns 10% of BYD, the Chinese electric car company.
Dr. J
Active Member
I just found this thread, so maybe old news. No soup for you, Tesla buyer! Texas brings back $2,500 electric vehicle incentive, but Tesla buyers could be blocked
Dr. J
Active Member
Sorry if this is off-topic. The $2,500 alternative vehicle rebate from the state of Texas is likely undergoing a rule-writing process for implementation in 2018. I haven't read the legislation, so I don't know how long a shot it would be to attempt getting Tesla purchases included, despite the lack of dealerships and having to order online. Here's the TCEQ website information:
Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive Program (LDPLI)
The Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive Program (LDPLI) will provide rebate incentives statewide to persons who purchase or lease an eligible new light-duty motor vehicle powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or hydrogen fuel cells or other electric drives (plug-in or plug-in hybrid). Only vehicles purchased in Texas are eligible for the incentive.
Applications may not be submitted for funding consideration at this time. We anticipate the grant round opening in Spring 2018. Please check back for updated LDPLI program information.
{end quote from Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) - TCEQ - www.tceq.texas.gov}
We'll be paying state sales tax, so that's equivalent (in my mind) to "purchased in Texas." Anyone want to lobby?
Contact the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan Program - TCEQ - www.tceq.texas.gov
Jamie Rizzotto
ERIG and LDPLI Program Coordinator
512-239-1862
Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive Program (LDPLI)
The Light-Duty Motor Vehicle Purchase or Lease Incentive Program (LDPLI) will provide rebate incentives statewide to persons who purchase or lease an eligible new light-duty motor vehicle powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or hydrogen fuel cells or other electric drives (plug-in or plug-in hybrid). Only vehicles purchased in Texas are eligible for the incentive.
Applications may not be submitted for funding consideration at this time. We anticipate the grant round opening in Spring 2018. Please check back for updated LDPLI program information.
{end quote from Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) - TCEQ - www.tceq.texas.gov}
We'll be paying state sales tax, so that's equivalent (in my mind) to "purchased in Texas." Anyone want to lobby?
Contact the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan Program - TCEQ - www.tceq.texas.gov
Jamie Rizzotto
ERIG and LDPLI Program Coordinator
512-239-1862
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