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Joint conference committee moves to adopt Senate File 69 report after amendment cutting exemption to 25%
Summary
Members of a joint conference committee moved to adopt the Joint Conference Report on Senate File 69 after agreeing to amend a tax exemption from 50% to 25%, remove a backfill, omit a sunset provision and set an immediate effective date; a roll call began but the final tally was not recorded in the transcript.
A joint conference committee on taxes moved to adopt the Joint Conference Report on Senate File 69 after agreeing to an amendment that reduces a proposed tax exemption from 50% to 25% and makes related changes.
Committee member 1, speaking during debate, summarized the amendment as written: "we would agree on 25%. We would delete 50% and insert 25%. That there would be no backfill. That the, that there would be, no sunset to this. The effective date would be immediate." Committee member 1 also described the second-year rule appearing on page 2, line 20: beginning with tax year 2026, a requirement would apply to single-family residential structures that are owner occupied.
The discussion included concern about a possible statewide ballot initiative. Committee member 2 told the panel the amendment as drafted contains no sunset and said, "if the ballot initiative does pass, we would need to repeal this in favor of the ballot initiative," adding that a repealer could be handled later rather than changing the amendment now.
Committee member 2 also clarified that the amended proposal retains a $1,000,000 cap that was in the Senate version and that the panel had removed a backfill provision that appeared in the House amendment. After those clarifications, a motion was made to adopt the Joint Conference Report as amended. Committee member 4 moved the motion and Committee member 2 seconded.
Members asked for time to consult their caucuses. A member representing the House asked for "a couple of days to reconvene" with colleagues before final action. With a motion and second on the table, the committee proceeded to a roll call. The transcript records Representative Nelmeyer voting "no" and Chairman Sells voting "aye," but the roll call was incomplete in the available record.
The record shows the committee debated the following specific changes: lowering the exemption from 50% to 25%; removing a backfill requirement that had been in the House version; eliminating a sunset so the change would remain in effect unless formally repealed; making the exemption for owner-occupied single-family residential structures beginning in tax year 2026; and keeping a $1,000,000 cap referenced in the Senate engrossed version. Members also discussed handling any conflict with a future ballot initiative by repealing the measure if the initiative passes.
Motion status: committee members moved and seconded adoption of the Joint Conference Report on Senate File 69 as amended and initiated a roll call; the transcript does not contain a final recorded tally or a formal adopted/failed outcome.
Votes at a glance (recorded in transcript) Representative Nelmeyer — No Chairman Sells — Aye
The committee indicated it would pause for caucus discussions and reconvene; no implementation steps or effective dates beyond those specified in the amendment text were taken in the portion of the record provided.
