II 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1741 

To authorize States or political subdivisions thereof to regulate fuel economy 

and emissions standards for taxicabs. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 1, 2009 

Mrs. GILLIBRAND introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To authorize States or political subdivisions thereof to 

regulate fuel economy and emissions standards for taxicabs. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Green Taxis Act of 

5 2009’’. 

6 SEC. 2. STATE FUEL ECONOMY REGULATION FOR TAXI7 CABS. 

8 Section 32919 of title 49, United States Code, is 

9 amended by adding at the end the following new sub10 section: 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 1741 IS

1 ‘‘(d) TAXICABS.—Notwithstanding subsection (a), a 

2 State or political subdivision of a State may prescribe re3 quirements for fuel economy for taxicabs and other auto4 mobiles if such requirements are at least as stringent as 

5 applicable Federal requirements and if such taxicabs and 

6 other automobiles— 

7 ‘‘(1) are automobiles that are capable of trans8 porting not more than 10 individuals, including the 

9 driver; 

10 ‘‘(2) are commercially available or are designed 

11 and manufactured pursuant to a contract with such 

12 State or political subdivision of such State; 

13 ‘‘(3) are operated for hire pursuant to an oper14 ating or regulatory license, permit, or other author15 ization issued by such State or political subdivision 

16 of such State; 

17 ‘‘(4) provide local transportation for a fare de18 termined on the basis of the time or distance trav19 eled or a combination of time and distance traveled; 

20 and 

21 ‘‘(5) do not exclusively provide transportation to 

22 and from airports.’’. 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 1741 IS

1 SEC. 3. STATE REGULATION OF MOTOR VEHICLE EMIS2 SIONS FOR TAXICABS. 

3 Section 209 of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7543) 

4 is amended by adding at the end the following new sub5 section: 

6 ‘‘(f) TAXICABS.—(1) Notwithstanding subsection (a), 

7 a State or political subdivision thereof may adopt and en8 force standards for the control of emissions from new 

9 motor vehicles that are taxicabs and other vehicles if such 

10 standards will be, in the aggregate, at least as protective 

11 of public health and welfare as applicable Federal stand12 ards and if such taxicabs and other vehicles— 

13 ‘‘(A) are passenger motor vehicles that are 

14 capable of transporting not more than 10 indi15 viduals, including the driver; 

16 ‘‘(B) are commercially available or are de17 signed and manufactured pursuant to a con18 tract with such State or political subdivision 

19 thereof; 

20 ‘‘(C) are operated for hire pursuant to an 

21 operating or regulatory license, permit, or other 

22 authorization issued by such State or political 

23 subdivision thereof; 

24 ‘‘(D) provide local transportation for a fare 

25 determined on the basis of the time or distance 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 1741 IS

1 traveled or a combination of time and distance 

2 traveled; and 

3 ‘‘(E) do not exclusively provide transpor4 tation to and from airports. 

5 ‘‘(2) If each standard of a State or political subdivi6 sion thereof is at least as stringent as the comparable ap7 plicable Federal standard, such standard of such State or 

8 political subdivision thereof shall be deemed at least as 

9 protective of health and welfare as such Federal standards 

10 for purposes of this subsection.’’. 

Æ 


smartinez on DSKB9S0YB1PROD with BILLS