BILL ANALYSIS |
C.S.H.B. 2492 |
By: Darby |
Ways & Means |
Committee Report (Substituted) |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Interested parties note that, according to experts, water conservation is the least expensive way to ensure an adequate water supply. The parties assert that water-efficient products save consumers money and reduce consumption rates for the state's valuable water resources, which are made ever more valuable due to ongoing drought conditions. The parties further note that there is currently an annual sales tax holiday for energy-efficient products intended to encourage consumers to replace inefficient home appliances and reduce energy consumption but that water-efficient products are not included in the holiday. C.S.H.B. 2492 seeks to encourage consumers to replace water-inefficient products and implement water saving technologies within their homes.
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
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RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
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ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 2492 amends the Tax Code to exempt the sale of a water-conserving product or a product that has been designated as a WaterSense certified product under the federal WaterSense program from the sales tax if the sale takes place during a period beginning at 12:01 a.m. on the Saturday preceding the last Monday in May and ending at 11:59 p.m. on the last Monday in May. The bill defines "water-conserving product" as tangible personal property that is used on private residential property and is not used for business or trade and that, when used or planted in an outdoor residential property, may result in water conservation or groundwater retention, water table recharge, or a decrease in ambient air temperature that limits water evaporation.
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EFFECTIVE DATE
July 1, 2015, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, October 1, 2015.
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COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE
While C.S.H.B. 2492 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.
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