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Senate panel advances HB 1779 to extend Act 539 window for wood energy projects

April 05, 2023 | REVENUE & TAX - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas


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Senate panel advances HB 1779 to extend Act 539 window for wood energy projects
The Senate Revenue & Tax committee advanced House Bill 1779 on a voice vote after a brief presentation and no public testimony.

Senator Gilmore (Senate District 1), who brought the bill, said it "seeks to, basically, extend a window from the act, 5 39 of last session that we passed as it relates to, wood energy products." He told the committee the bill is intended to ensure that any expansion under Act 539 would be captured by the statute and that proponents would conduct "a good cost benefit analysis" before any action that could affect state finances.

The chair invited committee questions and public comment; none were recorded. A motion that HB 1779 "do pass" was moved in committee and seconded by Senator Blake Johnson. The committee recorded aye responses in a voice vote and the chair declared the bill passed.

Why it matters: HB 1779 would extend the statutory window created by Act 539 to include future expansions related to wood energy products, subjecting such expansions to review intended to identify state cost implications. No fiscal or implementation details beyond the requested cost-benefit review were provided during the committee consideration.

What’s next: With the committee's approval, HB 1779 moves forward in the legislative process; the transcript of this meeting records a committee voice vote but does not include a roll-call tally.

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