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Lawmakers hear case to raise Lawrence County cap on mineral severance tax; committee defers action
Summary
Supporters from Lead and Lawrence County sought to raise the local cap on mineral severance tax from $1 million to $3 million so more revenue would remain in counties with active precious‑metals operations. The House Appropriations Committee heard proponent and opponent testimony and deferred action.
Representative Mary Fitzgerald, sponsor of House Bill 10 81, asked the House Committee on Appropriations to raise the statutory cap on the portion of the precious‑metals severance tax retained by Lawrence County from $1,000,000 to $3,000,000.
The bill would leave 80% of that severance tax to the state general fund and allow the county where the mine is located to retain the remaining 20% each year until the local cap is reached. "Following a law change in 1989, Lawrence County began receiving mineral severance tax at a rate of 20% with a cap of $1,000,000," Fitzgerald said, and that cap has not been reached since 1994. She said the county has paid over $100 million into the state general fund since that time and asked the committee to…
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