§40-17-167. Decal requirement suspended.

(a) The Legislature of Alabama makes the following findings and statements:

(1) The reduction of the dependence on foreign oil is necessary to reserve and protect our national security.

(2) Reliable and affordable energy is of great importance to all sectors of Alabama's economy.

(3) Long-term sustainability of energy supply and efficient and effective distribution of energy is becoming increasingly important to Alabama's population growth and economic expansion.

(4) The future energy needs of the state also present opportunities to diversify the state's energy supply and provide new opportunities for Alabama-based clean energy technologies.

(5) The use of existing technology and development of new technologies including compressed and liquefied natural gas should be encouraged as a way of producing energy with reduced emissions.

(b) The Legislature recognizes that it is in the best interest of its citizens to remove existing barriers to implementing natural gas distribution for motor vehicles until such time as a comprehensive approach is established for regulating and taxing natural gas for motor vehicles. This includes temporarily eliminating the decals and associated fees that are currently required of owners or operators of motor vehicles using compressed and liquefied natural gas, as well as temporarily suspending any motor fuel excise taxes due on compressed or liquefied natural gas used as fuel for vehicles.

(c)(1) The requirement to obtain a decal from the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board, as well as the requirement to collect the motor fuel tax as prescribed in this article, are hereby suspended from April 9, 2014, until October 1, 2016.

(2) In the event that no comprehensive approach for regulating and taxing natural gas used as fuel for motor vehicles has been established by October 1, 2016, beginning on that date each 5.66 pounds of compressed natural gas that is taxable as motor fuel shall be taxed as one gallon of gasoline, and each 6.06 pounds of liquefied natural gas that is taxable as motor fuel shall be taxed as one gallon of diesel fuel. Provided, however, that if the National Conference for Weights and Measures establishes standards for converting compressed natural gas to a gallon of gasoline and for converting liquefied natural gas to a gallon of diesel fuel, such standard conversions shall be used.

(3) Compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas may be sold in gallon equivalents as established in subdivision (2) until October 1, 2016. In the event that no comprehensive approach for regulating and taxing natural gas used as fuel for motor vehicles has been established at that time, compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas shall be sold in gallon equivalents as established in subdivision (2).

(4) This section shall not apply to the remainder of this article.

(Act 2014-408, §§1, 2.)