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Panel advances bill to add battery storage to energy zones and keeps sales‑tax exemption for data centers with local share
Summary
The committee passed House Bill 1333 after amending it to remove controversial OEO language, add battery energy storage systems into designated energy production zones, and keep the state sales‑tax exemption for data‑center equipment while directing 1% of the sales‑tax‑equivalent benefit to local governments; the vote was 9–3.
House Bill 1333, originally framed to encourage local economic development while protecting prime farmland, drew extended debate and public testimony before the House Utilities, Energy and Telecommunications Committee.
Representative Kendall Culp, the bill sponsor, summarized the measure as protecting prime soils (classes 1–3) while making development easier on lower‑quality soils, allowing liability immunity for brownfield redevelopment and explicitly adding battery energy storage systems (BEST) to the energy enterprise zones created in 04/25. Sponsor amendments removed previously proposed on‑site energy off‑take (OEO) language and replaced it with a provision…
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