Two bills pending in the 2024 Louisiana regular legislative session would attempt to ensure consumers can continue to purchase vehicles with traditional internal combustion-powered engines in spite of federal regulations.
Adam Vos with Baton Rouge Public Radio reports that one bill set to be taken up this week, by the LA House Transportation, Highways and Public Works Committee, would prohibit state agencies from placing limits on, or prohibiting the sale of, internal combustion-powered vehicles, that is automobiles powered, for instance, by gas or diesel. Republican State Representative Dodie Horton of Haughton submitted House Bill 515, which would also require that any challenges of air quality standards, related to the Louisiana Air Pollutant Emission Control Program, cannot prevent a state resident from buying any vehicle.
But Rep. Horton told the committee she would rather support House Bill 341 by state Rep. Phillip Tarver. He is a Lake Charles Republican who owns a Toyota dealership, and Horton says Tarver is “a subject matter expert." The two bills are nearly identical.
The Center Square news website [a project of the conservative online news organization the Franklin News Foundation] reports that these state developments are unfolding while federal authorities draft regulations that increase fuel economy requirements and force cars and trucks to move to hybrid gas-electric power. Nationally, a 49 mile per gallon standard, averaged across a car maker’s entire manufacturing output, goes into effect in 2026.
According to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Transportation, the new standards will increase fuel efficiency 8% annually for model years 2024-2025 and 10% annually for model year 2026. A 58 mile per gallon standard would go in effect in 2032, if the corporate average fuel economy draft regulation is adopted.
