Watch List - 2013
ECRI may or may not have an official stance on these bills. People interested in tracking legislation during the session are encouraged to sign up for an account in the General Assembly's Bill Tracker system.
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Bill Title | House Bill # & Sponsor | Senate Bill & Sponsor | House Committee | Senate Committee | House Bill Status | Senate Bill Status | ECRI Position |
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Municipal Streetlight Investment Act Establishes a procedure to allow municipalities to purchase, rather than rent, their street lights for the purpose of reducing municipal street lighting costs. |
5935 Deborah Ruggiero |
0836 James C. Sheehan |
2013-2014 House Committee on Municipal Government | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Housing and Municipal Government | Signed |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
|
Related to the RI Resource Recovery Corporation Enlarges and changes the composition of the membership of the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation. |
5523 Stephen R. Ucci |
2013-2014 House Committee on Corporations | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Signed |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Including Steep Slopes as Buildable This act would provide for the addition of certain definitions relative to "slope of land," and other terms within the chapters of the general laws relating to zoning and subdivision of land. Notably, slope of land shall not be excluded from the calculation of the buildable lot area or the minimum lot size, or in the calculation of the number of buildable lots or units. |
5703 Raymond E. Gallison Jr. |
0544 Michael J. McCaffrey |
2013-2014 House Committee on Municipal Government | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Judiciary | Signed |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
|
Expedited Citation Process for Alleged DEM Noncompliance This bill would allow the director of DEM to use an expedited citation process for alleged noncompliance. |
5677 Larry Valencia |
0495 William A. Walaska |
2013-2014 House Committee on Judiciary | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Signed |
Legislative Agenda ** |
|
Biodiesel Heating Oil Act Would enact the Biodiesel Heating Oil Act of 2013, which would require that all heating oil sold in the state contain five percent (5%) of a bio-based product. |
5802 Arthur Handy |
0816 V. Susan Sosnowski |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Signed |
Legislative Agenda ** |
|
PACE Legislation PACE, or Property-Assessed Clean Energy, creates a financing mechanism for homeowners for clean energy and energy efficiency improvements and allows them to repay the loan on their property taxes. |
6019 Arthur Handy |
0900 William J. Conley |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Signed |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
|
Creating a Commission to Study Rhode Island's Stormwater Regulations Creates a five member special legislative commission whose purpose is to make a comprehensive study of Rhode Island's stormwater regulations and requirements. |
6049 K. Joseph Shekarchi |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | Signed |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Establishing Executive Office of Commerce 6063 SUB B |
6063 Helio Melo |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Commerce | Signed |
Legislative Priority *Oppose* |
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Future of Solid Waste Management Creates an eleven (11) member special select commission to make a comprehensive study of all technical, environmental, policy, and financial issues concerning the future of solid waste management in the state of Rhode Island, and who would report back to the General Assembly no later than December 31, 2013, and whose life would expire on June 30, 2014. |
0602 V. Susan Sosnowski |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | Signed |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Creation of RI Climate Change Commission/Advisory Committee Establishes and appoints members to a climate change advisory committee. |
0671 Joshua Miller |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Signed |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Responsibilities of the Office of Energy Resources -- Collection of All Energy Information Adds a responsibility to the office of energy resources to collect all energy information regarding petroleum products, natural gas, and other fuels including price, inventory, and product delivery dates, amounts, and types of product sold, and other pertinent information. |
0725 V. Susan Sosnowski |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Signed |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Implementation Of The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative Act Provides for the payment of costs incurred by the DEM and office of energy resources up to three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000) or five percent (5%) of the proceeds of any sale or auction of allowances. |
5812 Arthur Handy |
0642 V. Susan Sosnowski |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Signed |
Legislative Priority *Support* |
|
Water Suppliers And Installation Of Radio Frequency Reading Systems 5534 SUB A as amended |
5534 John M. Carnevale |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Signed |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Industrial Property Remediation & Reuse Act Eliminates the statute prohibiting schools from being built on sites containing hazardous material, but provides certain safeguards for schools being built on properties previously used for industrial or manufacturing purposes. |
5617 John G. Edwards |
0520 Juan M. Pichardo |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Signed |
Legislative Priority *Oppose* |
|
DEM Jurisdiction 5425Sub A and 0672Sub A |
5425 Patricia A. Serpa |
0672 Erin P. Lynch Prata |
2013-2014 House Committee on Judiciary | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Signed |
Legislative Priority *Oppose* |
|
Restricting the Use of Eminent Domain over Conservation Land This act would restrict the use of eminent domain over any land which is protected with a conservation or preservation restriction. |
5386 Donna M. Walsh |
2013-2014 House Committee on Judiciary | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
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Marine Debris Act S0406 Sub A |
5264 Donna M. Walsh |
0406 Catherine Cool Rumsey |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
|
Community Preservation Act Establishes the Rhode Island Community Preservation Act to promote capital investment and development within Rhode Island communities. The act provides a source of funding for such investment and development. |
5633 Deborah Ruggiero |
0696 Louis P. DiPalma |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Housing and Municipal Government | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
|
Dam Repair Revenue Allocates 20% of video lottery revenue to dam repairs. |
5357 John M. Carnevale |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Restricting Emergency Rule-Making by DEM & Other Admin Agencies This act would establish a rigid schedule for the covered administrative agencies to publish and adopt rules and amendments. It would also prohibit the promulgation of an emergency rule or amendment without the written consent of the governor. This bill would cripple all of DEM's rule-making ability – especially in their Marine Fisheries and Fish & Wildlife divisions where regulatory changes are frequent and necessary. |
5564 Stephen R. Ucci |
2013-2014 House Committee on Judiciary | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Renewable Energy Tax Credit This act would reinstate the residential renewable energy system tax credit. |
5116 Deborah Ruggiero |
0127 Joshua Miller |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
|
Mandating $600,000 Toward Lead Prevention Mandates that RI supplement no less than $600,000 toward lead prevention in the event of insufficient federal funds. |
5810 Arthur Handy |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
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Clean Water Finance Agency This act would amend the general law on the clean water finance agency to permit use of the money in the revolving fund to repair and improve the infrastructure. |
5648 Kenneth A. Marshall |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Permitting animal agriculture, primarily chickens, in municipal zoning Permits animal agriculture use within residential, industrial, and commercial municipal zoning. |
5793 Eileen S. Naughton |
2013-2014 House Committee on Municipal Government | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Expanding Energy and Consumer Savings Act of 2005 Adds high light output double-ended quartz halogen lamp, tubular quartz and portable electric spa among the products sold or installed in the state for which a minimum efficiency standard must be met. |
5800 Arthur Handy |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Prohibiting Disposal of Recyclable Materials / Waste in Central Landfill Prohibits the disposal of any recyclable materials or waste in the central landfill. |
5874 Stephen R. Ucci |
In Committee |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Road & Bridge Revolving Fund Administered by RI Clean Water Finance Agency Provides for a municipal road and bridge revolving fund to be administered by the Rhode Island Clean Water Finance Agency in order to lower the cost of borrowing for road and bridge projects of cities and towns. |
6059 Gordon D. Fox |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Access To Public Transportation This act would require the state properties committee to consider access to public transportation when selecting a site for a public facility and to state specific reasons for the lack of accessibility when they select a site less than one-half (.5) mile from public transportation. The act would also require the committee prepare an annual report to the general assembly to monitor compliance. |
5225 |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
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Tipping Fees Increases the Resource Recovery Corporation's tipping fee from $3 to $5 per vehicle, to be paid to the town of Johnston on a biannual basis. |
0190 Frank Lombardo, III |
2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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User Fees Allows the host municipality to share in all beach parking fee receipts, not just daily parking fee receipts. |
0601 James C. Sheehan |
2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Statewide Solid Waste Mgt Plan & Use of Out of State Non-Hazardous Contaminated Soils Within RI Eliminates the prohibition of incinerating solid waste from the statewide solid waste management plan, would allow non-hazardous contaminated soils originating out of state for use on site as daily cover material, and would allow glass to be used as cover material. |
0603 V. Susan Sosnowski |
In Committee |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Reducing The Gas Tax By Five Cents This act would reduce the gasoline tax by five cents ($.05) from thirty-two cents ($0.32) per gallon to twenty-seven cents ($0.27) per gallon. |
5413 |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Creation of the Office of Inspector General Establishes the office of inspector general as an independent administrative agency charged with the purpose of preventing and detecting fraud, waste and abuse, and mismanagement in the expenditure of public funds. |
0612 James C. Sheehan |
2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Designates One Area of State-Owned Property for the Use of ATVs Requires the state, through the DEM, to designate at least one area of state-owned property for the use and operation of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). |
0670 Frank Lombardo, III |
In Committee |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Energy Reform Act Facilitates, promotes, and supports the creation of newly developed renewable energy resources. In addition, the act extends the distributed generation contracts program. |
0901 V. Susan Sosnowski |
2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Inclusion of Incineration of Solid Waste in Statewide Resource Recovery System Development Plan Eliminates the prohibition on inclusion of incineration of solid waste in the statewide resource recovery system development plan. |
0728 V. Susan Sosnowski |
2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Dam Inspection Protocol This act would change inspection protocols within the state. |
5535 Frank Ferri |
0315 Michael J. McCaffrey |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
|
Retaining the Residential Renewable Energy System Tax Credit for Another Two Years Permits the residential renewable energy system tax credit to be carried forward for an additional two (2) years. |
0817 Catherine Cool Rumsey |
2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance | In Committee |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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RI Energy Independence and Climate Solutions Act 5801 SUB A |
5801 Arthur Handy |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | In Committee |
Legislative Priority *Support* |
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Inclusion of Incineration of Solid Waste in Statewide Resource Recovery System Development Plan Eliminates the prohibition on inclusion of incineration of solid waste in the statewide resource recovery system development plan. |
0728 V. Susan Sosnowski |
2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | In Committee |
Legislative Priority *Oppose* |
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RI Resource Recovery Corporation & Incineration Eliminates the prohibition of incinerating solid waste from the statewide solid waste management plan, would allow non-hazardous contaminated soils originating out of state for use on site as daily cover material, and would allow glass to be used as cover material. This act would take effect upon passage. |
0603 V. Susan Sosnowski |
2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | In Committee |
Legislative Priority *Oppose* |
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Distributed Generation - Hydro Quebec Expands distributed generation program: expands long term contracting renewable energy programs to include large hydro facilities. |
6018 Arthur Handy |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | House Vote |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Creation of a Single Set of Environmental Standards for the State This act would establish a single set of environmental standards for the state while reducing local regulatory burden and would prohibit cities and towns from enacting future ordinances which are more restrictive than regulations established by the department of environmental management or the coastal resources management council. |
5192 Michael W. Chippendale |
0640 Erin P. Lynch Prata |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture | Deferred |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
|
Wood Stove Phase-out This act would regulate the phase-out of wood stoves without EPA certification in densely populated residential areas. |
5244 Arthur Handy |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | Deferred |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
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Public Transit Investment Includes public transit in maintenance fund and accelerates surcharges. |
5073 Jeremiah T. O'Grady |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | Deferred |
Legislative Priority *Support* |
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Placement of Renewable Energy Facilities Regulates the placement of renewable energy facilities on farmlands. |
5953 John M. Carnevale |
0815 Louis P. DiPalma |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Cesspool Removal & Replacement This act would require cesspools to be removed and replaced with an ISDS system or connected to a public sewer system within twelve (12) months from the date of the sale of the property or in accordance with a schedule set forth therein. This act would take effect upon passage. |
5732 Teresa Ann Tanzi |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources |
Legislative Priority *Support* |
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Liability Limitations Relating to Public Use of Private Lands This act would change the definition of "owner" to exclude the state and municipalities for the purposes of liability limitations relating to public use of private lands. |
5826 |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Hydroelectric Projects Allowed in Standard Contract Enforcement Program This act would amend the definition of small distributed generation project, and would allow hydroelectric projects to participate in the standard contract enforcement program. |
5803 |
0641 |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
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Separation of Powers: Coastal Resources Mgt Council This act would change the method by which members of the Coastal Resource Management Council are appointed, in accordance with the Separation of Powers Constitutional Amendment. |
5378 |
0122 |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Creation of a Permanent Joint Legislative Committee over CRMC and DEM This act would establish a permanent joint legislative committee to provide oversight of the coastal resources management council and the department of environmental management. |
5356 |
0120 |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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State Planning Council Amendment This act would add three (3) members to the State Planning Council, namely: The Commissioner of the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources; The Chief Executive Officer of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority; The Executive Director of Rhode Island Housing. |
5549 |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
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Changing the Composition of the CRMC This act would reduce the membership of the Coastal Resources Management Council from sixteen (16) to eleven (11) members and would reduce the quorum requirement from seven (7) to six (6) members. |
5733 |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Children's Jewelry Safety This act would require children's jewelry, manufactured or sold within one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date of the act, to conform to standards promulgated by the American Society for Testing and Materials. |
5423 |
0497 |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
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The Return Or Exchange Of Drugs Act The general assembly finds that many nursing facilities and assisted living residences destroy quantities of unused but viable prescription medication when residents pass away or when medications otherwise are no longer needed by the resident. In an effort to improve the quality, efficiency and utilization of the state's healthcare system, the general assembly hereby establishes a statewide program allowing pharmacies to accept for return and redispensing certain prescription drugs. |
5230 |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
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Genetically Modified Organisms To Be Labeled This act would require that food and food products derived from or containing genetically modified organisms be labeled as such by the manufacturer, retailer or other person before putting it on the market for sale in Rhode Island. |
5278 |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
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Genetically Modified Organisms To Be Labeled This act would require that food or food products produced or made in Rhode Island only, derived from or containing genetically modified organisms be labeled as such by the manufacturer, retailer, or other person before putting it on the market for sale in Rhode Island. |
5849 |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
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Mgt And Disposal Of Regulated Medical Waste This act would require hospitals and pharmacies to provide sharps containers for public use. |
5048 |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
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Producer Responsibility For Recycling, Reuse and Disposal of Mattresses This act would establish the procedure for the recycling, reuse and disposal of mattresses. |
5799 Arthur Handy |
0261 Dominick J. Ruggerio |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
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Plastic Bag Ban This act would establish a plan for the gradual ban on the use of disposable plastic checkout bags by retail establishments. |
5403 |
0404 |
2013-2014 House Committee on Environment and Natural Resources | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture |
Legislative Agenda *Support* |
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Use Of Glass As A Material To Cover Solid Waste At A Landfill This act would allow any resource recovery system or facility made available by the corporation to use glass as a material to cover compacted solid waste at a sanitary landfill. |
0726 |
2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Use Of Contaminated Soils To Cover Material at RI Resource Recovery Corp. This act would allow the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation to use non-hazardous contaminated soils, free of solid waste, and originating out-of-state as daily cover material at its facility. |
0727 |
2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture |
Legislative Agenda *Oppose* |
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Farmland Values Lowers estate tax on farms and appraises on use value. |
5036 Donna M. Walsh |
0018 Walter S. Felag Jr. |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Finance |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Adjusting DEM's Powers Relating to Agriculture and the Division of Agriculture This act would expand the powers of the department of environmental management relating to agriculture and farming by creating a new division of agriculture. |
5739 Larry Valencia |
0517 V. Susan Sosnowski |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance | 2013-2014 Senate Committee on Environment and Agriculture |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Estate Taxes for Farmland Exempts families who own farmland from estate tax on the farmland. |
5307 Patricia L. Morgan |
2013-2014 House Committee on Finance |
Legislative Agenda ** |
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Power to Grant Variances From the State Building Code Gives local building officials and fire chiefs the power to grant variances from the state building code. |
5593 Joseph A. Trillo |
Legislative Agenda ** |