Representative Craig Hedlund told the committee that House Bill 1176 was amended in Finance and Tax to change revenue sources and create a property tax relief fund.

Hedlund said the tax committee transferred $225 million from legacy earnings into the proposed property tax relief fund and routed an additional approximately $173 million of earnings into the same fund, creating roughly $398 million in the fund; the bill’s total appropriation for the program, Hedlund told members, was about $473 million with approximately $74 million from the general fund and the remainder from the property tax relief fund.

Majority Leader Mike Lafore presented a subsequent amendment that clarifies override mechanics and primary-residence definitions and removes special- and primary-election override options, requiring a general-election vote and a simple majority for local overrides. Lafore said the amendment included language intended to protect voter-approved levies from being reduced by state relief. “May not reduce the property tax to unvoter proof levies,” Lafore told the committee as he described the intent.

Committee members discussed the amendment’s effect on timing and local budgets. Members asked whether the change would remove existing statutory language on school-district levy authority and whether legislation would create conflicts with the Century Code provisions for school levy votes; staff said they would review that potential conflict and that the committee could amend again before final action if needed.

The committee moved and considered the Lafore amendment (listed in the record as amendment 25.1003.03002). Committee action recorded the amendment as approved; the transcript records the chair’s announcement that the motion to approve the amendment carried with 21 votes and two absences.

Ending: Committee members indicated they would continue to reconcile statutory language and potential conflicts with existing levy vote rules before final action on HB1176.