Debate is on regarding amending grocery tax

The Senate is in its 14th Order, debating possible amendments to HB 81, the grocery tax credit increase bill. Five possible amendments were filed, but Sen. David Langhorst, D-Boise, withdrew one as the debate began, saying, “We have worked to achieve a compromise.”

The amendments range from just doubling the current credit; to raising it slightly less but requiring annual increases until it offsets the entire sales tax on groceries; to taking out the extra credit for seniors; to generally following Gov. Butch Otter’s proposal to target the credit to the low-income.

Sen. Jeff Siddoway challenged Sen. Joe Stegner’s ruling that the amendments all conflict, saying his amendment to take out the senior differential could work in combination with one of the other proposed amendments. After a big huddle, senators agreed. Now, they’re debating the various amendments.