Oklahoma Legislative Committee Moves to Consolidate Wind Power, Alternative Energy Bills

By Janice Francis-Smith

The Oklahoma House Revenue and Taxation Committee moved Tuesday to consolidate a handful of bills dealing with tax incentives for wind power and alternative energy.

“For efficiency reasons, we don’t need to be moving a dozen bills dealing with the same matter,” said committee chairman Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore.

House Bill 3079 by state Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs, and HB 2804 by state Rep. Mike Brown, D-Tahlequah, are identical in content, said Terrill.

The bills would provide income tax credits for those who use a wind or solar power unit to generate more than 50 percent of their energy needs.

The credit would be limited to residences and small businesses. Brown agreed to sign on as co-author of Dorman’s bill.

Other bills, including HB 2526 by state Rep. Larry Glenn, D- Miami, are still in shell form but are intended to provide tax credits for the use of wind and other alternative energy sources. Glenn agreed to have his bill consolidated with others intended for the same purpose.

On the other hand, state Rep. Purcy Walker, D-Elk City, introduced a wind power bill that is somewhat different from the rest, which Terrill said may stand on its own.

Walker said his intent is to create transferable tax credits for state agencies that generate power using environmentally friendly alternative fuels.

The agencies could pass on the credits they earn to school districts, which could turn the tax credits over to private entities that help the districts develop wind power for local schools.

Originally published by Janice Francis-Smith.

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