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House OKs change in off-road diesel tax, chicken litter credit Friday, Feb 2, 2007 By Rob Moritz Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - The House on Thursday approved legislation to replace the state 6 percent sales tax on off-road diesel fuel with a 6 percent per gallon tax. The House also approved a proposed tax break for buying transporting excess chicken litter from Northwest Arkansas. With winter weather forecast, the Senate decided to forego its agenda and adjourn for the week. The House planned to meet Friday. On Thursday, the House passed House Bill 1202 by Rep. Chris Thyer, D-Jonesboro, 95-2. Thyer said the measure would help farmers, logging companies and contractors who have suffered in recent years because of rising diesel fuel costs. School districts also use off-road diesel in school buses, as do many city and county road departments, he said. "This just does not apply to farmers in eastern Arkansas. Many industries and businesses purchase off-road diesel," Thyer said. "This will have a direct impact on the bottom line of all your school districts. This will have a direct bottom line of all our cities and all your counties." The state the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration estimated the change would cost the state about $14.8 million annually, which Thyer said is factored into Beebe's balanced budget proposal. Also Thursday, the House approved HB 1318 by Scott Sullivan, D-De Queen, which would allow $15 per ton income tax credit for the purchase and transportation of excess poultry litter from Northwest Arkansas. The bill, which passed 89-7, now goes to the Senate. The measure is designed to help poultry growers in Northwest Arkansas get rid of their chicken litter. The litter, which is high in phosphorous, is used a fertilizer and spread on pasture land. The runoff, however, into nearby rivers and lakes has caused environmental concerns. Oklahoma set limits for phosphorous in six of its scenic rivers in 2002. One of those, the Illinois River, begins in Arkansas. Oklahoma and Arkansas have been in negotiations to address the issue. In 2003, the Legislature approved a package of bills proposed by the state Soil and Water Commission to reduce phosphorus levels in Northwest Arkansas streams. Sullivan said it generally costs $15 to $25 to haul 6 tons of litter. The $15 per ton tax credit would cost the state about $255,000 in fiscal 2008 and $550,000 fiscal year 2009, according to DF&A. In other action Thursday, the House approved HB 1310 by Rep. Dawn Creekmore, D-Hensley, which would require an officer to determine which party was the "predominant aggressor" in a domestic incident. She said the measure, which passed 87-9 and now goes to the Senate, has been endorsed by the Arkansas Sheriffs Association, the Independence County sheriff's office and the Texarkana Police Department. Creekmore said too often, both the aggressor and the victim are taken into custody and jailed until the officer can investigate and figure out what happened. Sometimes, children in the home are placed in state custody until the investigation is complete, she said. Creekmore said her bill would require officers to determine who the predominant aggressor was, so the victim, if they don't need medical treatment, can stay at home and take care of any children. Also approved was HB 1282 by Rep. Nathan George, D-Dardanelle, which would extend civil immunity to dentists and oral health professionals who volunteer their services at free or low-cost dental clinics. The bill adds dentists to the state Charitable Immunity Act, which already includes doctors and other health care providers. The bill passed, 95-1, and goes to the Senate. |
