AUSTIN, TEXAS (AP) -- A bill that has already passed unanimously through a Texas House committee would require government employees who drive state-owned cars to reimburse taxpayers for their personal use.

The bill would exempt law-enforcement officials who respond to emergency calls but make other employees pay back the state when they use the car for personal errands or on their commutes. The bill was filed by Dallas Rep. Terri Hodge.

About 1,300 state employees at 95 state agencies commute to work in state-owned cars. That's according to figures provided to the Austin American-Statesmen by the comptroller's office.

Hodge says she believes those figures are low and that there are more state cars on the road than previously thought.

The Texas Department of Transportation, for example, reported 452 vehicles to the comptroller but 901 vehicles to Hodge's office.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which reported 10 vehicles to the comptroller, told Hodge it had 65.

Hodge says emergency responders should have take-home cars, but that many other employees are using them simply to commute to the office.

She also noted that when the comptroller's office installed global positioning satellite devices in its cars several years ago, the mileage dropped.

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