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Panel advances bill to extend agricultural exemptions to forestry operations
Summary
House Bill 1378 passed committee to grant agriculture tax exemptions to forestry operations; sponsor argued forestry is an agricultural activity in many counties and asked committee to close a perceived gap in exemptions.
The committee voted to advance House Bill 1378, which would extend agriculture exemptions to forestry operations. Senator Murrah presented the bill, emphasizing that some counties that are large agricultural producers primarily raise trees rather than traditional row crops or livestock.
"What shocks me is forestry does not have AG exemptions and that's shocking," Murrah said, arguing that counties which produce timber should receive the same treatment as other agricultural producers. He cited Texas County and Cimarron County as the state’s top agricultural producers by more conventional measures, then noted that other counties raise "a lot of trees."
Committee members asked procedural and fiscal questions: Senator Hicks asked why the bill was assigned to Agriculture and Wildlife rather than Revenue and Taxation; Murrah said he did not know and joked he would answer after leadership changes. When asked about the anticipated fiscal impact, Murrah said he did not have numbers on hand but that the bill was also assigned to Appropriations and he would provide figures later.
The committee recorded a do‑pass recommendation with a roll call indicating 10 ayes and 2 nays; the chair declared the bill passed by the committee and it will proceed for further consideration.
