Compromise energy bill may be split in two…

The Senate State Affairs Committee introduced a new bill this morning, as a result of concerns that the compromise bill on renewable energy tax rebates, HB 337, includes multiple subjects. That bill already has passed the House, but hasn’t had a Senate committee hearing. Sen. Curt McKenzie, R-Nampa, chairman of the state affairs committee, had scheduled two new bills for introduction, each containing a piece of HB 337, but said there was concern that one of the pieces relates to taxing and therefore should start in the House; the committee voted to introduce the other piece, which deals with PURPA rules relating to wind and solar energy projects.