04/18/2009 10:00 AM Senate FINANCE

CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 121(FIN)                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     "An   Act   relating   to    and   authorizing   certain                                                                   
     municipalities to provide a property tax credit for an                                                                     
     improvement that aids in improving air quality."                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     CSHB 121 (FIN) was REPORTED out of Committee with a "do                                                                    
     pass" recommendation and with a previously published                                                                       
     zero fiscal note from Department of Commerce, Community                                                                    
     and  Economic Development.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
11:14:39 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stedman  explained that the intent  of the committee                                                                   
to review the House version of HB 121.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman MOVED  to ADOPT Work draft for  HB 121 (FIN)                                                                   
LS0540\C.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
KAREN LIDSTER,  STAFF, REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL noted  that the                                                                   
bill affords  municipalities that  fail to  make the  2.5 air                                                                   
quality standards the opportunity  to reach the Environmental                                                                   
Protection Agency (EPA) standards.  She thanked the committee                                                                   
for their consideration.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator  Huggins asked  for repeat of  the version.  Co-Chair                                                                   
Hoffman replied version C.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Ms.   Lidster   commented   that   the   legislation   allows                                                                   
municipalities to pass ordinances  and establish criteria for                                                                   
those heating improvements  for a credit to their  tax and be                                                                   
administered  at the local  level. The  repeal date  is 2016,                                                                   
with the EPA standard met by 2015.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
11:17:37 AM                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
Senator Thomas anticipated that  an impact of the legislation                                                                   
might  be felt  in the  interior  for coal  and wood  burning                                                                   
stoves allowing people  to upgrade to more current  stoves by                                                                   
utilizing  a tax  credit.  Ms. Lidster  agreed  that the  tax                                                                   
credit was appealing to citizens.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
11:18:14 AM         AT EASE                                                                                                   
11:18:56 AM         RECONVENED                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Hoffman  MOVED to report  CSHB 121 out  of Committee                                                                   
with individual  recommendations and the  accompanying fiscal                                                                   
note. There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CSHB  121 (FIN)  was REPORTED  out  of Committee  with a  "do                                                                   
pass"  recommendation and  with a  previously published  zero                                                                   
fiscal  note  from  Department  of  Commerce,  Community  and                                                                   
Economic Development.