HB1483 (2016) Detail

Relative to community renewable energy.


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HB 1483 - AS INTRODUCED

 

2016 SESSION

\t16-2584

\t06/10

 

HOUSE BILL\t1483

 

AN ACT\trelative to community renewable energy.

 

SPONSORS:\tRep. Oxenham, Sull. 1; Rep. Spang, Straf. 6; Rep. Cohen, Hills. 30; Rep. Ford, Graf. 3; Rep. Higgins, Graf. 12; Rep. Rosenwald, Hills. 30; Rep. Harvey, Hills. 29; Rep. Mangipudi, Hills. 35; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Pierce, Dist 5

 

COMMITTEE:\tScience, Technology and Energy

 

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ANALYSIS

 

\tThis bill:

 

\tI.  Permits certain members of customer-generator groups to be billed individually.

 

\tII.  Permits cities and towns to offer a tax exemption from local property taxes to property owners who install certain renewable energy projects.

 

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Explanation:\tMatter added to current law appears in bold italics.

\t\tMatter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

\t\tMatter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

\t16-2584

\t06/10

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Sixteen

 

AN ACT\trelative to community renewable energy.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

\t1  Limited Electrical Energy Producers Act; Net Energy Metering.  Amend RSA 362-A:9, XIV(c) to read as follows:

\t\t\t(c)  Notwithstanding paragraph V, [a group host shall be paid for its surplus generation at the end of each billing cycle at rates consistent with the credit the group host receives relative to its own net metering under either subparagraph IV(a) or (b)] each group member shall be billed individually by the relevant utility.  A member who is a resident of a resident-owned community, on a municipal meter, or a resident of a designated affordable or subsidized housing arrangement, may receive the appropriate credit or debit on their customer electric bill based upon the energy production allocations designated and documented with the utility and commission under subparagraph (a), for the surplus generation at the host site at the end of each billing cycle.  On an annual basis, the electric distribution utility shall calculate a payment adjustment if the host's surplus generation for which it was paid is greater than the group's total electricity usage during the same time period.  The adjustment shall be such that the resulting compensation to the host for the amount that exceeded the group's total usage shall be at the utility's avoided cost or its default service rate in accordance with subparagraph V(b) or paragraph VI.  The utility shall pay or bill the [host] group members accordingly.

\t2  New Section; Exemption for Certain Renewable Energy Projects.  Amend RSA 72 by inserting after section 64 the following new section:

\t72:64-a  Exemption for Certain Renewable Energy Projects.  Each city and town may adopt under RSA 72:27-a an exemption from the assessed value, for property tax purposes, for persons who install renewable energy projects on brownfields, landfills, parking lots, resident owned communities, and roofs of commercial establishments.

\t3  Department of Revenue Administration; Duties of Commissioner.  Amend RSA 21-J:3, XIII to read as follows:

\t\tXIII.  Equalize annually by May 1 the valuation of the property as assessed in the several towns, cities, and unincorporated places in the state including the value of property exempt pursuant to RSA 72:37, 72:37-b, 72:39-a, 72:62, 72:64-a, 72:66, and 72:70, and property which is subject to tax relief under RSA 79-E:4, by adding to or deducting from the aggregate valuation of the property in towns, cities, and unincorporated places such sums as will bring such valuations to the true and market value of the property, and by making such adjustments in the value of other property from which the towns, cities, and unincorporated places receive taxes or payments in lieu of taxes, including renewable generation facility property subject to a payment in lieu of taxes agreement under RSA 72:74, as may be equitable and just, so that any public taxes that may be apportioned among them shall be equal and just.  In carrying out the duty to equalize the valuation of property, the commissioner shall follow the procedures set forth in RSA 21-J:9-a.

\t4  Property Taxes; Procedure for Adoption, Modification, or Rescission.  Amend the introductory paragraph of RSA  72:27-a, I to read as follows:

\t\tI.  Any town or city may adopt the provisions of RSA 72:28, RSA 72:29-a, RSA 72:35, RSA 72:37, RSA 72:37-b, RSA 72:38-b, RSA 72:39-a, RSA 72:62, RSA 72:64-a, RSA 72:66, RSA 72:70, or RSA 72:76 in the following manner:

\t5  Property Taxes; Application for Exemption or Tax Credit.  Amend the introductory paragraph of  RSA 72:33, I to read as follows:

\t\tI.  No person shall be entitled to the exemptions or tax credits provided by RSA 72:28, 29-a, 30, 31, 32, 35, 36-a, 37, 37-a, 37-b, 38-b, 39-b, 62, 64-a, 66, and 70   unless the person has filed with the selectmen or assessors, by April 15 preceding the setting of the tax rate, a permanent application therefor, signed under penalty of perjury, on a form approved and provided by the commissioner of revenue administration, showing that the applicant is the true and lawful owner of the property on which the exemption or tax credit is claimed and that the applicant was duly qualified upon April 1 of the year in which the exemption or tax credit is first claimed, or, in the case of financial qualifications, that the applicant is duly qualified at the time of application.  The form shall include the following and such other information deemed necessary by the commissioner:

\t6  New Paragraph; Net Energy Metering.  Amend RSA 362-A:9 by inserting after paragraph III the following new paragraph:

\t\tIII-a.  Each electric distribution utility may offer a reduced tariff to persons who install renewable energy projects on brownfields, landfills, parking lots, resident owned communities, and roofs of commercial establishments with areas of 50,000 square feet or more.

\t7  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.