CCIA's policy advocate Chris Votoupal on capital happenings
Dispatches from the Gold Dome
Colorado Cleantech Policy Update
Inside energy policy with CCIA's legislative team
February 28, 2019
Next week we will be at the halfway point of the First Regular Session of the 72nd General Assembly with committee and floor action really starting to gain momentum. So far 397 bills have been introduced with the Governor signing 8 into law while 67 have been “Postponed Indefinitely”. Listed below are the bills CCIA is watching closely and you will notice a strong pro-electric vehicle package has emerged.
HB 19-1003- Community Solar Gardens Modernization Act – Increases the cap on the project size for community solar gardens from 2 to 5 megawatts. The bill also removes the contiguous counties provision and replaces it with a service territory requirement in addition to extending the personal property tax exemption for projects for five years. Passed the House Appropriations Committee as amended and is waiting on floor action. CCIA Position - Support
HB 19-1037 – Colorado Energy Impact Assistance Act - Authorizes the issuance of low-cost ratepayer-backed bonds and creating the Colorado energy impact assistance authority to mitigate the impacts of power plant retirements on workers and communities. The goal of the bill is to provide another option to recover the costs of closing down a fossil fuel plant while providing economic assistance to the impacted community. Passed the House Energy & Environment Committee and is waiting on floor action. CCIA Position – Support
HB 19-1159– Modify Innovative Motor Vehicle Income Tax Credits – Extends the refundable and the optional point-of-sale tax credit for light, medium and heavy duty electric vehicles for 4 additional years till 2016. Passed the House Energy & Environment Committee and is scheduled for the House Finance Committee on March 11th. CCIA Position – Support
HB 19-1165 – On site Wind Turbine Manufacturing Property Tax Exemption – Provides a ten-year personal property tax exemption for manufacturing equipment used to assemble a wind turbine on site. Postponed Indefinitely in the House Energy & Environment Committee. CCIA Position – Support
HB 19-1188 – Greenhouse Gas Pollution Impact in Fiscal Notes –Would require all bills starting in 2020 to have listed on any fiscal note whether enactment of the legislation would have a positive or negative impact on greenhouse gases in the first ten years. Scheduled for a hearing in the House Energy & Environment Committee on March 4th. CCIA Position – Support
HB 19-1198– Electric Vehicle Grant Fund –Allows the current EV infrastructure grant fund to more efficiently receive and administer the funds on an annual basis and would allow the grants to also apply to operational costs of a charging station. This provision could be very beneficial to remote charging stations that may not receive much traffic initially. Scheduled for a hearing in the House Energy & Environment Committee on March 4th. CCIA Position – Support
HB 19-1199– Colorado Clean Pass Act – Revamps and expands the current program allowing a small number of electric vehicles to use HOV lanes for free. This bill also has a provision for a 50% discount for certain toll lanes with purchase of a $35 decal. New electric vehicles could qualify for the program for the first three years of registration.Scheduled for a hearing in the House Energy & Environment Committee on March 4th. CCIA Position – Support
SB 19-053 - California Motor Vehicle Emission Standards – Would prevent Colorado from enacting transportation fuel economy standards stricter than current EPA standards (such as a Low Emission Vehicle & Zero Emission Vehicle Standard). Postponed Indefinitely in the Senate Health & Human Services Committee. CCIA Position – Oppose
SB 19-067 - Rural Development Grant Program Creation – Creates a grant program under the Office of Economic Development & International Trade to help small rural based companies in the start-up and early stage level who are in the “prototype” phase of development. The program would be capped at $150k per company that has raised less than $500K in private capital. Passed the Senate Finance Committee and is waiting for Senate Appropriations Committee action. CCIA Position - Support
SB 19-077 - Electric Motor Vehicles Public Utility Services – Allows Investor Owned Utilities to invest in electric vehicle infrastructure and outlines certain criteria for the PUC to consider if a program is presented including rebates, private sector capital and customer choice. Passed the Senate Business Labor & Technology Committee as amended and is waiting on floor action. CCIA Position - Support
SB 19-096 - Collect Long-term Climate Change Data – Requires the Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment to conduct comprehensive annual data collection for statewide greenhouse gas emissions and to make that report public starting in 2020. Waiting for a hearing in the Senate Transportation and Energy Committee. CCIA Position – Support
