House Energy Committee advances nuclear tax-credit bills, adopts substitutes and refers several measures

The Michigan House Committee on Energy on March 4 adopted substitute language and voted to advance multiple bills in a six-bill nuclear package (House Bills 4124–4129).

Committee chair Representative Wenzel presided as members first adopted an H-1 substitute to HB 4124 by roll call. The clerk recorded the H-1 substitute as adopted, 15 yeas, 0 nays. The committee then voted to report HB 4124 with recommendation as substituted; the clerk recorded that motion as prevailing, 13 yeas, 2 nays.

Subsequent action on the package produced the following formal outcomes: HB 4125 was referred to the Rules Committee (vote recorded 15–0), HB 4126 was reported with recommendation (15–0), HB 4127 was reported with recommendation (vote recorded in the roll call as 15–0), HB 4128 was amended with an H-2 substitute (H-2 adopted 15–0) and later reported with recommendation as substituted (vote recorded 12 yeas, 2 nays), and HB 4129 was referred to the Rules Committee (15–0).

Representative Bridal offered an amendment during discussion of HB 4128 that would have required small modular reactors (SMRs) receiving tax credits to be classified as real property and valued using generally accepted appraisal principles, including consideration of highest and best use. The clerk recorded that amendment as failing, 5 yeas, 10 nays.

The committee chair announced the recorded tallies after each roll call; the formal motions and outcomes were entered into the committee record and the bills were advanced either to the Rules Committee or reported with recommendation according to the tallies noted above.

Ending: The committee completed votes on the nuclear package and moved on to other business, including extended testimony on a separate set of bills addressing generation in the Upper Peninsula.