House amendment moves Renewable Energy Fund dollars to general fund; members debate amounts

A House subcommittee voted to adopt amendment 12-11-H to House Bill 2, changing how money in the Renewable Energy Fund is handled and temporarily redirecting some revenue to the general fund.

The amendment, moved by Representative Griffin and seconded by Representative Campbells, implements language consistent with House Bill 111 by transferring the current biennium balance from the Renewable Energy Fund into the general fund and postponing a return of certain payments to ratepayers until after the biennium. "Weare still working with Department of Energy to calculate a number," a staff member said, estimating the current-biennium balance at "somewhere between 13 and $20,000,000." The staff member also said the amendment would reroute roughly $5,000,000 a year for 2026 and 2027 that otherwise would flow to ratepayers.

Committee members pressed staff for detail about what the bill calls "incentive payments." A staff member explained there is question about the phrase and that language on page 2 of the packet removes a reference to "incentive payments," leaving a transfer to the general fund "just net of administration costs and funding for the office of offshore wind industry development and energy innovation." Committee discussion included review of how the House-passed energy bill handled the revenue and whether the amendment reflected that intent.

Representative Griffin moved the amendment on the floor of the subcommittee; after discussion, members voted and the amendment passed on a 5-4 voice tally.

Lawmakers said the amendment is intended to match intent in earlier legislation while leaving specific definitions for department-level implementation. Staff indicated remaining details would be worked across chambers when HB 2 crosses to the Senate.

The subcommittee recorded the vote on amendment 12-11-H as 5 in favor and 4 opposed.