A conference committee on House Bill 1168 met to review proposed house changes that would raise a payment or credit amount to $1,000 and remove a "skin in the game" provision, and to discuss the effect those changes would have on the bill's appropriation.

Committee leadership said the house's proposed edits would sharply lower the appropriation tied to the bill. "With that reduction in the credit amount, that would lower the appropriation found in section 29, from $3.98 down to $295,000,000," the chairman said, noting the figure was what committee staff had estimated.

The discussion centered on two substantive edits the house sent back to the conference committee: adjusting the amount identified in the bill (described in the meeting transcript as changing the amount from "$16.50 to $1,000") and removing a provision described in the transcript as "skin in the game." The chairman said committee staff had not yet produced a formal amendment and recommended the panel reconvene when that draft is available.

The chairman described the staff estimate the panel used to compute appropriation effects: "I think he's using 145,000 first year, 150 the second," a figure the chairman said legislative counsel provided and the committee multiplied by the $1,000 amount to reach the appropriation estimate.

Senator Beckettall told the chair the senate side was prepared to describe the changes if the committee wished to hear them. Representative Doctor warned about adding an income tax provision, saying in the meeting, "If we don't want this to come out of the house, we maybe shouldn't put the income tax," and another member observed adding an income tax could raise questions about single-subject compliance.

No formal motion or vote was taken during this session. The committee agreed to adjourn and set a follow-up meeting after the house amendment is finalized so the panel can take formal action.

The session included members and staff identified in the transcript, and participants emphasized that the numbers discussed were preliminary estimates tied to the not-yet-completed amendment.