Sane Automobile Policy Act [At Final Vote]

[Verily]

Sane Automobile Policy Act

I. CAFE Standards

1. The penalty for violations of CAFE standards shall be raised to $22 per 0.1 mpg under the standard, multiplied by the manufacturer's total yearly production for the Atlasian domestic market beginning in 2009.

2. CAFE standard for cars shall be 31 mpg in 2010 and shall increase by 1.5 mpg each year until it reaches 46 mpg.

3. CAFE standard for light trucks shall be 24 mpg in 2010 and shall increase by 0.75 mpg each year until it reaches 32 mpg.

4. SUVs shall be classified as cars under CAFE standards. [1]

II. Research

1. Any automaker that excedes the CAFE standards in both the car and light truck category by at least 4 mpg in a year shall receive grant of $1 per vehicle sold in the Atlasian domestic market in that year to fund research and development into fuel efficiency.

2. All additional funds raised by Section I, Clause One above and beyond those in FY 2008 shall be used to fund Section II, Clause One. Any funds remaining shall be used for research into alternative automobile fuels.

III. Action

1. Atlasia shall establish a HOV Only Commission to investigate the feasibility of establishing urban freeways as High Occupancy Vehicles Only roadways. A report shall be delivered by July 1st, 2009.

2. $1 million shall be appropriated to fund Section III, Clause One.


(Sponsor: Jake)

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

As someone who is old enough to remember the NJ HOV lane debacle on I-287, I'm leaning against freeways-as-HOV-only.

I'd prefer to see states and cities come up with their own traffic solutions.  Honestly, I think making those freeways HOV-only would make traffic in cities ten times worse by diverting the bulk of traffic to city streets.

[Sensei]

The HOV-only highway thing would be a disaster. Not even worth looking into, I don't think.

I would like to offer an amendment

Sane Automobile Policy Act

I. CAFE Standards

1. The penalty for violations of CAFE standards shall be raised to $22 per 0.1 mpg under the standard, multiplied by the manufacturer's total yearly production for the Atlasian domestic market beginning in 2009.

2. CAFE standard for cars shall be 31 mpg in 2010 and shall increase by 1.5 mpg each year until it reaches 46 mpg.

3. CAFE standard for light trucks shall be 24 mpg in 2010 and shall increase by 0.75 mpg each year until it reaches 32 mpg.

4. SUVs shall be classified as cars under CAFE standards. [1]

II. Research

1. Any automaker that excedes the CAFE standards in both the car and light truck category by at least 4 mpg in a year shall receive grant of $1 per vehicle sold in the Atlasian domestic market in that year to fund research and development into fuel efficiency.

2. All additional funds raised by Section I, Clause One above and beyond those in FY 2008 shall be used to fund Section II, Clause One. Any funds remaining shall be used for research into alternative automobile fuels.

III. Action

1. Atlasia shall establish a HOV Only Commission to investigate the feasibility of establishing urban freeways as High Occupancy Vehicles Only roadways. A report shall be delivered by July 1st, 2009.

2. $1 million shall be appropriated to fund Section III, Clause One.


(Sponsor: Jake)

[Verily]

Bump.

[Ebowed]

We are voting on the motion to strike Section 3.

[Verily]

Aye

[Jake]

Nay

My reasoning being that it should be studied with the impact on local commute patterns, availability of carpooling resources, and availability of public transportation being taken into account. It would also be possible to have something akin to London's congestion charge be applied, tolling the roads for any vehicle that does not meet the HOV standards. Either way, we've spent $1,000,000 on worse things.

[Sam Spade]

Abstain.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Aye.

[Meeker]

Nay

[Platypus]

Aye.

I understand the need for a reform in transportation methods used in major urban centers, but I personally don't think it would be a good idea to implement I HOV-only policuy. It would be something worth looking into, excpet that we'll never get the report and so it's just another wasted promise of the Atlasian government if we pass a bill asking for one. Therefore, for practicality's sake, I vote to strike that section of the bill.

My views on the rest of the bill are dependent on the following areas of interest I have;

-What are the current standards? I believe Atlasia has already passed multiple pieces of legislation relating to CAFE standards (in fact, I have done so myself in the past as a Senator), so what levels are they currently at?

-Should 'Any automaker' (S.II, C.1) be changed to 'Any Atlasian automaker'? I struggle to see the benefit of sending Atlasian money to Toyota or Peugeot, without gaurantees that that money will be spent inside the republic.

If the Senate could respond to my concerns that would be wonderful. I'd particularly like to hear a response from Senator Jake on the first point.

[Verily]

Tally on Amendment
Aye: 3 (Verily; Moderate; Hughento)
Nay: 2 (Jake; Meekermariner)
Abstain: 1 (Sam Spade)
Yet to vote: 3 (Afleitch; Bacon King; Friz)
Vacant: 1 (D5)

[afleitch]

Aye

[Bacon King]

abstain

[Verily]

Tally on Amendment
Aye: 4 (Verily; Moderate; Hughento; Afleitch)
Nay: 2 (Jake; Meekermariner)
Abstain: 2 (Sam Spade; Bacon King)
Yet to vote: 2 (Friz; CultureKing)

[Jake]

Hugh - I had figures. I'm going to comb through my files to see where they're saved. They should be as they were set by the Energy Act passed in 2004. For your second point, I disagree. We should be promoting the development of more fuel efficient vehicles as they will be almost certainly introduced into the Atlasian market by those foreign automakers.

[CultureKing]

Aye

[Verily]

Result on Amendment
Aye: 5 (Verily; Moderate; Hughento; Afleitch; CultureKing)
Nay: 2 (Jake; Meekermariner)
Abstain [Voted]: 2 (Sam Spade; Bacon King)
Abstain [Didn't vote]: 1 (Friz)

With five in favor and two abstaining, the amendment passes.

[Verily]

Bump.

[Hash]

I don't see anything in the remaining text that I don't agree with. I have no amendment to propose.

[Verily]

If there are no further points, I will open a vote in twenty-four hours.

[Verily]

Debate having ceased, I motion for a final vote on this legislation.


We are now voting on the final passage of the following legislation. Please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.

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Aye

[CultureKing]

Aye

[Bacon King]

Aye

[Hash]

aye