Kentucky Senate adopts free-conference changes, clears House Bill 869 to support sustainable aviation fuel

The Kentucky Senate on April 15 adopted the free conference committee report to House Bill 869 and gave final passage to the measure, which relates to economic development, includes appropriations, and declares an emergency.

Senator from Kenton explained the free conference committee report on the floor, describing the package as largely a cleanup to the preceding revenue bill and highlighting two principal provisions: a structure intended to enable production and sale of sustainable aviation fuel in the Commonwealth and a clarification tightening a sales-tax exemption so that it applies to sporting events necessarily related to golfing events rather than extending to large racetracks. "The biggest one that I want to talk about is that there's a structure set up for, ideally, the production of sustainable aviation fuel," the senator said, adding that the change is "a big deal for the aviation industry, particularly those carriers who fly internationally." (Senator from Kenton)

The clerk read the free conference report before the full Senate moved for adoption; the Senate then moved for final passage of House Bill 869 as amended by Free Conference Committee Report 1. The measure was adopted and finally passed by voice vote and a recorded roll call showed 38 yays and no nays.

The floor explanation stressed the measure's technical nature and that it principally cleans up language from the earlier revenue bill. It also responded to a reported concern that language could have unintentionally extended sales-tax exemptions to race tracks; the free conference language explicitly clarifies the exemption's application to golfing-related events, not racetracks.

With final passage, the Enrollment Committee reported House Bill 869 in order and the chair prepared to sign the enrolled bill for delivery to the governor later that evening.