House Environment and Transportation Committee approves study of greenhouse-gas costs in House Bill 128

The House Environment and Transportation Committee voted to pass House Bill 128 as amended, instructing the state comptroller, in consultation with the Department of Commerce and MDE, to produce a report to the General Assembly by Dec. 1, 2026, estimating the assessed costs of greenhouse‑gas emissions in the state.

The bill, commonly referred to in committee as the RENEW Act, had been amended in Economic Matters Committee and the committee adopted those same edits. As amended, the measure removes language that would have created a climate change adaptation and mitigation payment program and fund and replaces that proposal with a study requirement. The committee recorded six delegates in opposition when it voted to pass the bill as amended.

Under the amended language adopted in committee, the comptroller — working with the Department of Commerce and MDE — must by 12/01/2026 submit to the General Assembly: a summary of cost‑driving effects of covered greenhouse‑gas (GHG) emissions; calculations of costs incurred and projected to be incurred by the state and its residents for each identified effect; calculations of related mitigation costs; and an economic analysis assessing whether certain costs would be passed on to taxpayers. Amendment 1 was described in committee as technical; amendment 2 struck the payment program and fund language and converted that portion into a study.

Committee members noted that Economic Matters Committee was the primary committee on the bill and had issued a favorable report with amendments. During floor discussion in committee, one member cautioned that additional amendments would return the bill to Economic Matters Committee and urged colleagues about procedural timing for crossover.

Chair Stein conducted the voice votes. When the committee asked for recorded opposition to the final passage of the bill as amended, Delegates Jacobs, Otto, Silberty, Naraki, Morgan and Baker were recorded as opposed; the meeting record shows the remainder voting aye by voice. The transcript does not list exact numerical tallies for yes votes.

After the vote, the chair said the committee did not expect to meet again before crossover and closed the session.

Quotes from the meeting: “As amended this bill requires by 12/01/2026 the comptroller in consultation the department of commerce and MDE to report to the General Assembly of the total assessed cost of greenhouse gas emissions in the state,” read a committee presenter. Chair Stein called the voice votes and said, “All in favor of House Bill 128 as amended, signify by saying aye.”

The amendment that converted a proposed climate adaptation and mitigation payment program into a study narrows the bill from establishing a new fund or payment mechanism to commissioning an analysis and report. The committee did not adopt any new program funding, and no implementation dates for programs were established in the meeting record.

The committee’s adopted direction is procedural: produce the specified report by Dec. 1, 2026, and file it with the General Assembly. The transcript does not specify follow‑on funding or implementation steps that would follow the report.

The committee adjourned after the vote; the chair noted the Democratic caucus meeting had been canceled and closed the meeting with holiday remarks.