AGENDA FOR: Senate Energy and Environmental Affairs
MEETING: Monday, February 18, 10:00 AM, Room # 233 State House, Indianapolis
CHAIR: Senator Gard
MEMBERS:
Riegsecker R.M., Bray, Dillon, Drozda, Hershman, Miller,
Hume R.M.M., Errington, Lanane, Tallian
AGENDA:
HB 1185 Indoor air quality
HB 1280 Energy efficient buildings
See previous posts for details and information on how to e-mail committee members.
The Senate Bulletin posted today lists HB 1117 for a committee hearing as follows:
Agenda for : Senate Utilities & Regulatory Affairs
Thursday, February 14, 10:00 AM, Room # 233 State House
Hershman, Chairman
Members : Mishler R.M., Gard, Charbonneau, Kruse, Landske, Merritt,
Errington R.M.M., Breaux, Rogers, Tallian
Hearings:
HB 1159 211 services. Rep. Welch-- Sens. Merritt & Broden
HB 1117 Coal gasification and substitute natural gas. Rep. Stilwell-- Sens. Hershman & R. Young
HB 1117 as it passed the House now includes a 10% state income tax credit for wind and anaerobic digesters. This language was added to the bill on second reading by Rep. Dale Grubb (D-Covington). It is not clear whether or not this language will remain in the bill or not.
For more details, see previous posts on this blog.
We have entered the second week of the second half of the 2008 session of the Indiana General Assembly. Late this afternoon committee schedules for both the House and the Senate were posted but none of the bills we are following have been scheduled for committee hearings thus far this week.
Today, SB 224 was finally assigned to the House Commerce, Energy and Utilities Committee. SB 224 contains a weak Renewable Electricity Standard provision but contains other language that utility consumer advocates and environmentalists are opposing. See Bad Bills (Still Alive) http://www.citact.org/newsite/. SB 224 is not listed on the agenda for the committee hearing 02/14/08 which leaves only next week for a committee hearing.
HB 1117 addresses coal gasification and substitute natural gas as well as creating a 10% state income tax credits for wind and anaerobic digesters. HB 1090 requires the state of Indiana to become a member of and participate in the climate registry concerning greenhouse gas emissions reporting and reduction. Neither bill is scheduled for a hearing this week before the Senate Utilities & Regulatory Affairs Committee.
HB 1280 addressing energy efficient buildings has been assigned to the Senate Energy and Environmental Affairs Committee but it has also not been scheduled for a committee hearing yet.
To remain viable for the 2008 session bills must receive a committee hearing in the second house by next Thursday, February 21, 2008.
The 2008 session of the Indiana General Assembly passed the mid-point last week. State legislation introduced in the Indiana House that passed third reading now moves to the Indiana Senate. House bills must now receive a Senate committee hearing within the next three weeks and third reading by the end of February. The pace of the session will increase as state lawmakers approach their March 14th deadline for adjournment.
HB 1117 addresses coal gasification and substitute natural gas as well as creating a 10% state income tax credits for wind and anaerobic digesters. The Senate sponsors are Sen. Brendt Hershamn (R-Monticello) and Sen. Richard Young (D-Milltown). HB 1117 has been assigned to the Senate Utilities & Regulatory Affairs Committee.
HB 1090 requires the state of Indiana to become a member of and participate in the climate registry concerning greenhouse gas emissions reporting and reduction. The Senate Sponsor is Sen. Beverly Gard (R-Greenfield) and this bill has also been assigned to the Senate Utilities & Regulatory Affairs Committee.
Please convey your support for HB 1117 and HB 1090 to the members of the Senate Utilities & Regulatory Affairs Committee listed below:
HB 1280 addressing energy efficient buildings is sponsored by Sen. Brendt Hershman (R-Monticello), Sen. Vi Simpson (D-Bloomington) and Sen. Jean Breaux (D-Indianapolis). HB 1280 has been assigned to the Senate Energy and Environmental Affairs Committee.
What this blog for when a committee hearing is scheduled on these two bills.
To find out who represents you at the State House, please click the link Who's Your Legislator?
Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington) introduced HB 1280 to maximize energy efficiency in buildings, to save taxpayers money and to make the state more energy independent. Debate on third reading at the microphone at 5:30 pm as it approached the dinner hour for most Hoosiers was limited. After Rep. Pierce briefly explained the bill, Rep. Sean Eberhart (R-Shelbyville) and Rep. William Friend (R-Macy) spoke against the bill stating that Indiana hardwood lumber would be harmed by HB 1280. Rep. Pierce responded to their opposition by pointing out that the bill allowed both LEEDS and Green Globes as an option for building construction. Rep. Pierce explained that using locally available materials such as Indiana hardwood lumber would accumulate points under the system.
DIGEST OF HB 1280 ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDINGS. Requires a building or structure constructed, reconstructed, repaired, altered, or retrofitted under certain public works contracts entered into after December 31, 2008, to be designed with the goal of achieving the silver rating under the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, the Green Globes Two Globes level, or an equivalent standard under an equivalent rating system that is accredited by the American National Standards Institute. Provides that the certification requirement does not apply to a public works contract entered into by a school corporation. Provides that for state agency purchases, there is a 5% price preference for certain office equipment that is compliant with the United States Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star ratings. Allows the Indiana economic development corporation to adopt rules allowing the corporation to give priority to economic development projects that meet or surpass the standards of the leadership in energy and environmental design ratings systems developed by the U.S. Green Building Council or the Green Building Initiative.
Rep. Pierce will be speaking at the Indiana Building Green Symposium 2008
January 31 - February 01, 2008 - Indianapolis, Indiana.
See www.indianabuildinggreen.org.
See how your state legislator voted on HB 1280 at
http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2008/PDF/Hrollcal/0147.PDF.pdf