MA: Mideast Carbon Emission Control Act (Statute)

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

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Sponsor: TexasDem

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I'm a bit confused as to what this is.

1. Is this a tax paid to the Mideast government in addition to the federal tax?
2. Who's paying the tax, and how is it collected?
3. I'm opposed to sections 4 and 5 - if you start giving tax credits for people who are still responsible for adding CO2, you lose the effectiveness.
4. The credit here should be available to people other than just making $60,000.
5. Why would we automatically repeal this if the federal version was repealed?

[Talleyrand]

I'm a bit confused as to what this is.

1. Is this a tax paid to the Mideast government in addition to the federal tax?
2. Who's paying the tax, and how is it collected?
3. I'm opposed to sections 4 and 5 - if you start giving tax credits for people who are still responsible for adding CO2, you lose the effectiveness.
4. The credit here should be available to people other than just making $60,000.
5. Why would we automatically repeal this if the federal version was repealed?

1. Yes.
2. Here's a good explanation of how the tax would be collected, although the federal law never made that clear, admittedly. Link. It would be based on kilowatt-hours, and both businesses and individuals would be taxed. As for how it's collected, I'm assuming it would be done so in the same way the federal tax is, although by the regional government.
3/4. I agree with you on the credit being available to all, as it is a single monetary amount. I'm also fine with eliminating Sections 4&5 if that's what you want, although I don't mind either way.
5. We would depend on the annual Presidential determination to calculate the amount of carbon dioxide each year, so we'd lose that immediately if the federal law was repealed.

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Would the previous amendment make the bill more acceptable to you?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Yeah, that's fine.

I'm still confused on question #5.  What do you mean by the President determining the amount of CO2 each year?

[Talleyrand]

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The President issues a report on how much carbon dioxide each fossil fuel emits during production and consumption of fossil fuels, which is then used to calculate the imposed tax for its various recipients each year. To avoid too much conflict with the federal law, I though we could use this report to calculate our own tax as well. If the law were to be removed, we wouldn't have anything to go off of under the current bill, so that's why I put in the repeal provision.

I'd be open to hearing alternatives though.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Wouldn't the amount of CO2 emitted vary from power plant to power plant?

[Talleyrand]

Wouldn't the amount of CO2 emitted vary from power plant to power plant?

My understanding is that the Presidential determination calculates how much CO2 would be released for the combustion of a given substance in a given amount. Since the total amount would vary from plant to plant, that value would be extrapolated onto the kilowatt-hours of energy that plant used.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

OK, well I'm cool with the amended bill.

[Talleyrand]

OK, well I'm cool with the amended bill.

Assemblymen Gass, ZuWo, and Oldiesfreak, what are your thoughts on this?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Are we good to go on your amended version?

[Gass3268]

Looks great! I have no complaints and I am happy of this bill.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

This is now brought to a final vote.  Members will vote AYE, NAY, or ABSTAIN.  This will be a 48-hour vote.

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[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

AYE

[Talleyrand]

AYE

[ZuWo]

Aye

[Gass3268]

AYE

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Voting is now closed.  The AYEs are 4, and the NAYs are 0, with 1 not voting.  The AYEs have it, and the bill has passed.  The bill is now passed onto the Governor for his signature or veto.