FISCAL NOTE

House Bill 482 as introduced would decrease Public Utilities License Tax receipts to the State General Fund by up to a maximum of $25 million annually by redistributing a portion of those receipts to the Alabama Forestry Commission, to establish a grant program that provides funds for: (1) the repair of rural county bridges; and (2) the installation of onboard scales and other technology for logging companies. Additionally, this bill would distribute 5% of these funds received by the Commission to the Forest Workforce Training Institute for logging workforce training. This bill would increase the administrative obligations of the Commission to facilitate the grant program, which could be offset by the 5% administrative holdback provided by this bill.

Additionally, this bill would increase allowable cargo weight for qualified logging vehicles which could increase the expenditures of the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) to post bridge weight restrictions and repairs to the state highway system. This bill could also reduce federal funds that otherwise would have been received by ALDOT for non-compliance of federal weight restrictions on interstate highways.