SB 107-07: No Tolls Act (Tabled)

[WD]

AN ACT
To abolish tolls

Be it enacted by the Senate of the Republic of Atlasia assembled

Section 1. Title

1. This act may be cited as the No Tolls Act.

Section 2
1. From fiscal year 2023 onwards, all toll roads shall be abolished in the Republic of Atlasia.

2. A toll road shall be defined as a major Highway operated by a state or regional authority that tolls drivers on the road for it’s use.

3. All toll roads that previously had tolls shall still operate as roads, but shall be without tolls for it’s use.

Section 3 (Fines)

1. Automakers who sell carbon emitting vehicles shall be subject to regional carbon output standards.

2. Carbon output standards shall be outlined as such: Every 5 years, all automakers who sell new carbon emitting vehicles shall be subject to a standard which stipulates that emissions in new carbon emitting vehicles shall decrease by 5% every 5 years from 2023 to 2033. From 2033 to 2053, all automakers who sell new carbon emitting vehicles shall be subject to a standard which stipulates that the emissions allowance is reduced by 10%.

3. Automakers who are found by state transportation authorities to have violated the new emissions clauses shall be subject to fine equivalent to 10% of the total revenue the automaker makes in the Republic of Atlasia.

Sponsor: Western Democrat

The gentleman from Oregon is recognized.

[WD]

What is the total projected loss of revenue for eliminating tolls? I mean don't get me wrong, I am all for eliminating unnecessary fees and such, but not to the extent that it will jeopardize the federal budget.

According to this, roughly about $15 billion as of 2018, and there’s no reason to believe that number has changed all that much over the past few years:

The American Transportation Research Institute reports toll revenues have risen 72.54% over 10 years, with $14.7 billion in revenue collected in 2018 alone

Now, this study is representative of 80% of all toll collections, so the total revenue is around $18.4 billion.

[WD]

Anyway, this bill is based upon a bill that was introduced (and unfortunately withdrawn) in Lincoln. Tolls are a unnecessary expense placed upon drivers, and in particular it is a highly regressive tax that predominantly hurts lower income, poor, and rural people who use the roads the most.

[WD]

A vote on the motion to table is open. Senators, please vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain.

[WD]

Nay

[WD]

Vote on motion to table:

Aye (11): S019, DeadPrez, Muad’dib, Discolovante, Kuumo, Joseph Cao, North Carolina Yankee, Ishan, West Midlander, Dabbing Santa, Spark

Nay (3): Western Democrat, MB, OBD

Not voting (4): Pericles, Tack, Old School Republican, CentristRepublican

2/3s majority of those voting having been reached, the motion is adopted and the bill is tabled.