Committee lays over HB 12 26 to resolve fiscal-year discrepancy, later adopts amendment L003 and advances the bill

House Bill 12 26 prompted sustained committee discussion about a fiscal memo that appeared to show inconsistent budget years and an associated cost timing question.

Representative McCormick noted discrepancies in the fiscal memo’s out-year labels and asked staff to verify whether the memo’s budget-year references were correct. The chair laid the bill over until staff could provide a quick clarification.

After recess, Aaron Carpenter of Legislative Council staff addressed the committee: he explained that adopting L003, which extends the implementation timeline and requires installation of pollution controls, "will get rid of the impact identified, including the 1 in the out year,” and confirmed that the fiscal note would be zero in later years if L003 were adopted.

Following that clarification, the committee adopted amendment L003 and moved House Bill 12 26 as amended to the Committee of the Whole. The roll-call vote on the motion to advance the amended bill passed 7–3 with one excused.