Assembly Bill A1919

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   1919
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             January 17, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. LIFTON -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Ways and Means
 
 AN  ACT  authorizing  a study on implementing a greenhouse gas or carbon
   emissions fee or tax
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  1.  The  New  York  state energy research and development
 authority  (NYSERDA)  is  hereby  directed  to  prepare  a  report   for
 submission  to  the  environmental conservation committees of the Senate
 and Assembly related to  implementing  a  statewide  greenhouse  gas  or
 carbon  emission fee or tax (hereinafter a carbon fee or tax) related to
 assisting the state in reducing or eliminating such greenhouse gases.
   The report shall:
   (a) analyze the current and future environmental impact of  greenhouse
 emissions,  including carbon and methane, and the dangers posed to resi-
 dents for climate change;
   (b) analyze the potential environmental and  policy  benefits  derived
 from a carbon tax;
   (c)  identify an effective structure for a carbon fee or tax to gener-
 ate revenue;
   (d) evaluate the direct and indirect impact of a carbon fee or tax  on
 low-income households, consumers, industries and localities;
   (e)  evaluate the direct and indirect regional and statewide impact of
 a carbon fee or tax;
   (f) evaluate whether the level of greenhouse gas emissions  reductions
 might  vary  based  on different rates of a carbon fee or tax, including
 determining the minimum level of such fee or  tax  needed  to  ensure  a
 significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions;
   (g) evaluate how to treat imported and exported energy sources under a
 carbon fee or tax;
   (h) evaluate the impact of a carbon fee or tax on jobs and wages;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD07923-01-7

 A. 1919                             2
 
   (i) evaluate the impact of a carbon fee or tax on existing fees, state
 revenue  and  state  income taxes, including the regional greenhouse gas
 initiative;
   (j)  evaluate the per unit costs of specific types of fuels that would
 be subject to a carbon fee or tax; and
   (k) evaluate revenue allocation options, including assisting in  fund-
 ing  a transition to clean renewable energy, maximizing positive impacts
 and mitigating detrimental or unequal impacts on low and moderate income
 households, improving mass transit, implementing climate change  adapta-
 tion  measures such as making improvements in infrastructure, implement-
 ing agricultural adaptation measures, increasing protection of low-lying
 areas including coastlines, and enhancing emergency health  response  to
 extreme weather events.
   2.  NYSERDA  shall  submit  a  written preliminary report to the state
 legislature related to revenue and the environment on or before December
 1, 2018, and a final report on or before  March  1,  2019.  NYSERDA  may
 contract  with third parties as necessary to prepare the reports and any
 related recommendations.
   3. NYSERDA shall provide for public  input  in  the  study,  including
 holding  at  least  two  public  hearings  before  the  final  report is
 released.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.