In this week’s legislative review, I inadvertently overlooked on entire agenda: the House Finance Committee agenda for Wednesday, May 7. Here’s the four sets of bills that should have been included in the regular list:
• H8039 reduces the state sales tax rate to 3%, beginning on January 1, 2015. H8033 reduces the sales tax rate to 6%, while restructuring the rules on the meals and beverage tax, the lodging tax, and the telecommunication services tax. (H Finance; Wed, May 7)
• H7208: Requires fiscal notes on legislation to be provided to committees 3 days prior to the hearing on an applicable bill. (H Finance; Wed, May 7)
• H7728: Requires that zero-based budgeting, where appropriations requests are “based upon a justification by each department head of the budget of the department from a zero base”, be implemented across all state departments by FY2018. (H Finance; Wed, May 7)
• H7350: Repeals the restriction currently in the law that “no hotel will be constructed or operated at Lincoln Park or by the then owner or operator of Lincoln Park…in close proximity to the facility”. (H Finance; Wed, May 7) For any young children reading this, “Lincoln Park” is now known as “Twin River”.