New proposed legislation would broaden the West Virginia Fleet Management Office's responsibilities to get a better handle over state vehicles and includes the creation of a centralized inventory and a state motor pool.

W.Va. House Bill 2492, introduced by House Speaker Tim Armstead and Delegate Tim Miley at the request of Gov. Jim Justice, would expand the duties of the Fleet Management Office to keep track of all state vehicles, including fuel usage, mileage, maintenance, and purchases made by all agencies.

These changes will provide a centralized inventory of all state vehicles, and requires registering and re-titling of all state vehicles. The office would maintain a pool of vehicles for short-term rentals for agencies instead of purchasing more vehicles.

"To make our state operate more like a business, we must get a handle on all of our assets and liabilities," said Governor Jim Justice in a statement. "Keeping track of every state vehicle will ensure that state government isn't wasting money on replacing vehicles. This is a way to streamline government, and when someone asks how many cars the state owns, we will have an exact answer."

Gov. Justice, who took office in January, has vowed to examine state spending more closely, paying special attention to the state fleet after an audit failed to find an accurate fleet count. Since then, several state agencies have announced cuts to their fleets.