Representative Cannon advances CUVA omnibus to streamline contracts, clarify timber carbon-credit treatment

Representative Cannon (speaker 5) presented an omnibus bill on the Conservation Use Valuation Assessment (CUVA) program, telling the committee the measure consolidates several prior CUVA changes into one bill.

Cannon said the bill clarifies that timber carbon credits are covered under CUVA, allows multiple parcels under a single 10‑year CUVA contract to simplify local tracking, and provides a 180‑day grace period to convert CUVA land to FLIPA land without an automatic breach of CUVA status. "We're trying to keep things more focused towards conservation, which is the intent of the statute," Cannon said.

A committee member asked whether owners would still pay separate fees; Cannon confirmed fees per parcel still apply but paperwork and contract tracking would be simplified. The committee voted to "do pass" on a voice vote; members stated "aye" and the motion carried as recorded in the hearing transcript.

The bill aims to streamline administration for landowners and local assessors, and to reduce inadvertent loss of CUVA status during land conversions. The transcript does not record a roll-call tally.