04/26/1995 01:50 PM House FIN

  HOUSE BILL 269                                                               
                                                                               
       "An Act relating  to credits against certain  taxes for                 
       contributions to  certain public educational  radio and                 
       television networks and stations  and to endowments for                 
       public educational  radio and television  networks; and                 
       providing for an effective date."                                       
                                                                               
  Representative  Navarre   MOVED  to   adopt  Amendment   #3.                 
  [Attachment #3].  He stated that Amendment #3 would add in a                 
  fisheries landing tax while also would change the provisions                 
  to be  taken half  from the  state share  and half  from the                 
  municipality share.   The amendment would also add  a sunset                 
  implemented  at  the end  of  five  years.   There  being NO                 
  OBJECTION, it was adopted.                                                   
                                                                               
  THOMAS WRIGHT, STAFF TO REPRESENTATIVE IVAN IVAN, noted that                 
  Representative  Ivan prepared an  amendment which  would add                 
  technical language  to Page  2, Line  30, deleting  the word                 
  "and" which would  make it  consistent with other  chapters.                 
  Representative Grussendorf  MOVED  to  adopt  Amendment  #4.                 
  [Attachment  #4].  There being NO OBJECTION, it was adopted.                 
                                                                               
                                                                               
  Representative Mulder MOVED to report CS HB 269 (FIN) out of                 
  Committee  with  individual  recommendations  and  with  the                 
  accompanying fiscal  note.  Representative  Kohring OBJECTED                 
  for purposes of discussion.  He  asked where the funds would                 
  be directed.  Mr. Wright responded that decision would be up                 
  to  the  contributor,  although,  with  the members  on  the                 
  endowment trust there  would be a  strong push to donate  to                 
  that  trust for the interest  in building funds to alleviate                 
  the   State's   responsibility   for  public   broadcasting.                 
  Donations  will  not  be  prohibited  directly  to  specific                 
  stations.                                                                    
                                                                               
  Representative Kohring noted  that the  endowment trust  was                 
  not a State operation or function.  He asked if it was legal                 
  for the State to provide a  tax credit which funds a private                 
  entity.    Mr. Wright  did not  know.   He  recommended that                 
  question  be   directed  to  the   Department  of   Revenue.                 
  Representative Kohring interjected that a precedent could be                 
  established  for  other   private  organization  to  request                 
  funding.                                                                     
                                                                               
  Representative Kohring WITHDREW THE OBJECTION.   There being                 
  NO OBJECTIONS, it so ordered.                                                
                                                                               
                                7                                              
                                                                               
                                                                               
  CS  HB  269 (FIN)  was reported  out  of Committee  with "no                 
  recommendation"  and  with   a  zero  fiscal  note   by  the                 
  Department of Revenue.