The State of Illinois’ Senate passed a bill on May 15 that would reduce the size of the fleet operated by the State. According to the bill, vehicles identified in a report by the State’s Office of the Auditor General in November 2011 that have been driven 7,000 miles or less in FY-2010, on the effective date of the Act, are considered surplus. This rule applies to business and personal miles on State-owned vehicles. The vehicles must be sold via a competitive sealed bid method on or before Jan. 1, 2014, according to the bill.

The bill also notes that vehicles considered surplus under these conditions can be used to replace other existing vehicles in the fleet that have higher maintenance costs.

Exceptions noted in the bill include vehicles driven by police or law enforcement personnel. It also applies to other emergency vehicles, vehicles driven by employees of public universities in the State, snow plows, and heavy equipment. The bill would also exempt vehicles that have been driven an additional 15,000 miles after the date of the audit but before the end of FY-2012.

With regard to how proceeds from the sale of surplus vehicles will be used, the bill states proceeds will be given to the State agency the vehicle was operated by as if it had been a surplus vehicle sold by that agency. The bill also passed the Illinois House of Representatives on April 17, 2013.

Update: 5/20/2013, corrected where funds are deposited, that public university employees are exempt, and noted that vehicles can be recycled into the State's fleet to replace higher maintenance vehicles.