Highlights from the Legislature on Monday:
— The House killed a resolution urging companies to offer investments in renewable energy as part of their retirement plans after lawmakers said it would be wrong for the state to make financial recommendations to the public.
— The House gave initial approval to a bill (House Bill 1212) that would allow the Department of Revenue to come up with rules to waive late fees on vehicle registrations after taxpayers complained the new rules were unfairly being enforced. The bill faces a third reading before it goes to the Senate.
— The House gave initial approval to a measure (House Bill 1211) that would reduce the penalty for late vehicle registration for small trailers. The bill faces a third reading before it goes to the Senate.
— The House Judiciary Committee unanimously backed shortening the time an independent candidate has to be registered as unaffiliated before being eligible to be listed on the ballot (House Bill 1271). Unaffiliated candidates now have to be registered for 17 months and the wait time for Republicans and Democrats is 12 months. The measure would switch the deadline for all candidates moved to the first business day in January of an election year starting in 2012.
— The Senate voted 35-0 to extend the deadlines for well permits and substitute water supply plans for coal bed methane wells from March 1, 2010 to Aug. 1, 2010 (Senate Bill 165). Lawmakers voted last year to require permits for such wells following a state Supreme Court decision but the new regulations have been delayed and aren’t expected to be ready until March. The bill now goes to the House.
