8E7E138B85D55D9287258529005DF518 Hearing Summary

Senators Hansen and Pettersen introduced Senate Bill 20-168.  The bill extends and expands a property tax exemption for community solar gardens and increases coal severance tax collections to reimburse local governments for the reduction in local property tax revenue under the bill and for transfer to the Just Transition Fund.  The reimbursement is a new TABOR refund mechanism.  The bill sponsors distributed amendment L.004 (Attachment D).

The bill sponsors responded to questions from the committee.

Kevin Cray, Coalition for Community Solar Access, testified in support of the bill. Daniel Merkle, Pivot Energy, testified in support of the bill. Kyle Sundman, Namaste Solar, testified in support of the bill.

Suzann Kuhns, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 111, testified in opposition to the bill.

Phil Hayes, IBEW 111, testified in opposition to the bill.

Richard Orf, Associated Governments of Northern Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill.

Patrick Boyle, Colorado Competitive Council, testified in opposition to the bill. The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Carl Smith, SMART Transportation, testified in opposition to the bill. Pat Sollars, Peabody Energy, testified in opposition to the bill. Dianna Orf, Colorado Mining Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Stan Dempsey, Colorado Mining Association, testified in opposition to the bill. The panelists responded to questions from the committee. A handout was distributed to the committee (Attachment E).

Eliza Schultz, Colorado Communities for Climate Action, testified in support of the bill. Mike Kruger, Colorado Solar and Storage Association, testified in support of the bill. Brett Moore, EDP Renewables and the Interwest Energy Alliance, testified in support of the bill. The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Senator Hansen distributed amendment L.008 (Attachment F). He explained the amendment and noted it was a replacement for amendment L.004.

Senator Hansen gave concluding remarks regarding the bill. Committee members commented on the bill.