Thursday, February 15
This morning
Two
energy efficiency bills will be debated on the House Floor at 11 o'clock
today. Fourth Substitute HB 122 provides an income tax credit of $1,000
for the purchase of a new vehicle that meets air quality and fuel economy
standards, including electric-gasoline hybrids. Fuel economy standards
qualifying for the discount would be 36 miles per gallon or more for a gasoline-fueled
vehicle, 41 mpg for diesel, 26 mpg for gasohol, 23 mpg for liquefied petroleum
gas and 27 mpg for compressed natural gas.
HB 122 also exempts clean fuels from the motor fuels and special fuels
tax.
The
second bill on the floor, HB 351, creates
a revolving loan fund for use by school districts to improve energy efficiency
in their buildings. A one-time appropriation of $5 million is needed to get the
fund started.
Energy
and taxes are also on the agenda in the HOUSE
REVENUE AND TAXATION COMMITTEE at 8 in W135. Substitute
SB 13 offers individual and corporate tax credits for renewable energy,
including solar, wind, geothermal, geothermal heat pumps, hydropower and
biomass. The tax credit for commercial
energy systems would be 0.35 cents per kilowatt hour of renewable energy
produced and used or sold.
Under
HB 61, individual and corporate
income tax credits up to $1million would be available to construct a biodiesel
or syngas production facility.
Another
energy bill, SB 142, offers a sales
tax exemption for non-renewable fuels used in manufacturing. Tax exempt fuels include natural gas,
electricity, heat, coal, fuel oil or other fuels. The tax-exempt industries would be coal,
metal and non-metallic mineral mining, software publishing, computer systems
design, and research and development in the physical, engineering and life
sciences.
HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
(8:15 in W010) is considering HB 380,
a bill that asks the state Division of Water Resources to set up a program to
encourage water conservation at state facilities. SB 161 changes the combination hunting and fishing license to allow
the licensee to fish, hunt small game, and apply for a big game, cougar, bear
or turkey hunting permit..
Long-term
health care is under discussion in SENATE
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES. SB 61 would allow a person receiving
Medical Assistance to receive home or community-based care, instead of being
placed in a long-term care facility, provided the cost to the state is the same
or lower. And HB 249 asks the Governor to consider making in-home and
community-based services for adults who need long-term care a budget priority.
Sandy Peck
801.272-8683 fax 801.272-5942
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