Hurry Up and Wait. This week was set up to be a busy week for CCS bills, but everything was postponed. HB 571 was expected to be scheduled for a vote on the House floor this week, but it was recommitted to the House Committee on Appropriations based on the fiscal note attached to the bill. The bill contains a future (if ever realized) severance tax on carbon dioxide if it is ever removed from CCS storage facilities. The Department of Revenue estimated it would incur a one-time administrative cost of $444,000 to integrate that new tax into their system. It is unlikely that the fiscal note will affect the status of the bill. HB 571 is scheduled for hearing in Appropriations on Monday, where it is anticipated it will quickly be voted favorably, moving it back to the House floor on Monday afternoon. HB 571 could be re-set for a vote quickly on the House floor early next week.
The other eight House CCS bills were scheduled for hearing before the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental on Wednesday, April 26. But all bills were removed from the agenda before the hearing. They have been re-scheduled for next Tuesday, May 2, except for one bill. The one bill which has not been rescheduled is HB 10 which sought to remove expropriation authority for CCS projects. That is a positive development for CCS projects. It is expected that the remaining seven bills will face heavy opposition.
Liskow will share regular updates throughout the Louisiana Legislative Session about CCS legislation on this blog and our website.
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