Southwest Energy Efficiency Project

2007 Utah Legislative Activities
Updated: March 14, 2008

The 2007 Session of the Utah State Legislature has ended. SWEEP worked to see passage of the following bills:

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 2
Resolution Supporting Energy Efficiency
Sponsored by Rep. Ralph Becker (D-Salt Lake City)

01/15/2007: Introduced and assigned to the House Political Subdivisions Committee.
01/16/2007: Passed by the House Political Subdivisions Committee on a 10-0-1 vote (1 absent); referred to the House Committee of the Whole.
01/17/2007: Passed by the House Committee of the Whole on Second Reading.
02/06/2007: Passed by the House Committee of the Whole on Third Reading on a 70-0-5 vote (5 absent).
02/07/2007: Transmitted by the House to the State Senate, and introduced.
02/28/2007: Bill dies, as it is never heard in the State Senate.

Though adopted by the House of Representatives, House Joint Resolution 2 was never heard by the State Senate, and thus was defeated.

H.J.R. 2 had asked the Utah State Legislature to express its support for Governor Jon Huntsman’s Energy Efficiency Goal of increasing energy efficiency in Utah twenty percent by 2015. The legislation did not appropriate monies, had no special clauses, nor did it include deliverables on behalf of the Legislature.

For additional information on House Joint Resolution 2, visit www.le.state.ut.us/~2007/htmdoc/hbillhtm/HJR002.htm.

HOUSE BILL 110
State Fleet Efficiency Requirements
Sponsored by Rep. Fred Hunsaker (R-Logan)

01/15/2007: Introduced and assigned to the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee.
01/23/2007: Passed by the House Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee in amended form on a 14-0-1 vote (1 absent); referred to the House Committee of the Whole.
01/24/2007: Passed by the House Committee of the Whole on Second Reading.
02/06/2007: Passed by the House Committee of the Whole on Third Reading on a 69-3-3 vote (3 absent).
02/07/2007: Transmitted by the House to the State Senate, and introduced.
02/08/2007: Assigned to the Senate Transportation and Public Utilities and Technology Committee.
02/08/2007: Passed by to the Senate Transportation and Public Utilities and Technology Committee on a 5-0-1 vote (one absent); referred to House Committee of the Whole.
02/12/2007: Passed by the Senate Transportation and Public Utilities and Technology Committee on a 5-0-1 vote (one absent); referred to Senate Committee of the Whole.
02/15/2007: Passed by the Senate Committee of the Whole on Second Reading on a 26-0-3 vote (three absent); awaiting Third Reading.
02/20/2007: Passed by the Senate Committee of the Whole on Third Reading on a 26-1-2 vote (two absent).
02/21/2007: Received for enrolling; awaiting signature of Governor.
03/09/2007: Bill signed by Utah Governor Jon Huntsman.

The primary goal of HB 110 is to achieve reductions in fuel use by the state vehicle fleet. The legislation will give state fleet managers a specific efficiency goal or objective and timetable to meet fuel efficiency goals, and then require them to devise a plan for accomplishing the goal. The plan might include: right-sizing vehicles, reducing idle time, driving fewer miles, avoiding rush hour traffic, using B5 and B20 bio-diesel, purchasing hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles, and other cost saving techniques.

For additional information on House Bill 110, visit www.le.state.ut.us/~2007/htmdoc/hbillhtm/HB0110.htm.

House Bill 110. as amended

HOUSE BILL 122
Clean Air and Efficient Vehicles Tax Credits
Sponsored by Rep. Roz McGee (D-Salt Lake City) and Sen. Greg Bell (R-Davis)

01/19/2007: Introduced and assigned to the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.
02/07/2007: Passed by to the House Revenue and Taxation Committee on a 12-0-3 vote (three absent).
02/07/2007: Passed by the House Revenue and Taxation Committee in amended form on an 11-0-4 vote (4 absent).
02/08/2007: Passed by the House Committee of the Whole on Second Reading.
02/15/2007: Passed by the House Committee of the Whole on Third Reading on a 68-0-7 vote (7 absent).
02/15/2007: Transmitted by the House to the State Senate, and introduced.
02/28/2007: Bill dies, as it is never heard in the State Senate.

Though adopted by the House of Representatives, House Bill 122 was never heard by the State Senate, and thus was defeated.

HB 122 would have provided performance-based, fuel- and technology-neutral incentives for efficient and clean vehicles. Consumers who purchased eligible vehicles would have qualified for a tax credit for the purchase or conversion of a vehicle meeting air quality and fuel economy guidelines set by the United States Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. Currently, there is a state tax credit for up to half the incremental cost of an alternative fuel vehicle's powertrain and fuel system (i.e., the difference in cost between a traditional motor gasoline- or diesel-fueled vehicle and an alternative fuel vehicle of the same make and model). This 2007 legislation sought to build upon this law by making tax credits available to clean and efficient vehicles that pass the EPA’s SmartWay Elite rating for fuel efficiency and air emissions. This would have enabled alternative fuel vehicles that may not have a traditional-fuel model on the market, i.e. the Toyota Prius, to receive the tax credit.

For additional information on House Bill 122, visit http://le.utah.gov/~2007/htmdoc/hbillhtm/HB0122S04.htm.

HOUSE BILL 351
Revolving Loan Fund for Certain Energy Efficient Projects
Sponsored by Rep. Roger Barrus (R-Centerville)

01/25/2007: Introduced.
02/01/2007: Assigned to the House Natural Resources, Agricultural, and Environment Committee.
02/06/2007: Passed by the House Natural Resources, Agricultural, and Environment Committee on a 12-0-3 vote (3 absent).
02/06/2007: Passed by the House Committee of the Whole on Second Reading.
02/15/2007: Passed by the House Committee of the Whole on Third Reading on a 70-0-5 vote (5 absent).
02/15/2007: Transmitted by the House to the State Senate, and introduced.
02/19/2007: Assigned to the Senate Education Committee.
02/20/2007: Passed by the Senate Education Committee in amended form on a 4-1-3 vote (3 absent).
02/27/2007: Passed by the Senate Committee of the Whole on Second Reading.
02/27/2007: Passed by the Senate Committee of the Whole on Third Reading on a 25-3-1 vote (1 absent).
02/27/2007: House concurs with Senate amendments.
02/28/2007: Received for enrolling; awaiting signature of Governor.
03/16/2007: Bill signed by Utah Governor Jon Huntsman.

HB 351 is designed to help remove the barrier of capital constraints for energy efficiency investments, which save energy and tax payer dollars, and prevent pollution. The bill establishes a revolving loan fund to provide low-interest loans (2-3%) for energy efficiency projects to K-12 schools through a one-time appropriation of $5 million. Loans would be provided for retrofit of existing buildings as well as energy efficiency upgrades to new buildings. In addition to loans, technical assistance would also be provided to help public agencies and school districts conduct energy audits, design and implement energy efficiency projects, and maximize energy savings. This program would be modeled after successful loan funds created in Iowa (Iowa Energy Bank) and Texas (Texas Loan Star).

For additional information on House Bill 351, visit www.le.state.ut.us/~2007/htmdoc/hbillhtm/hb0351.htm.

House Bill 351. as signed into law

© 2002-2008 Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
2260 Baseline Rd. Suite 212, Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 447-0078 fax: (303) 786-8054 info@swenergy.org

Last Updated: 03/14/2008

2007 Utah Legislative Activities Updated: March 14, 2008

2007 Utah Legislative Activities
Updated: March 14, 2008