House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014 Regular Session

Posted:	January 9, 2013 09:23 AM
From:	Representative Chris Ross
To:	All House members
Subject:	Agricultural Conservation Easements – Prior HB 2106

Tomorrow I plan to reintroduce HB 2106 from last session, amending the Agricultural Area Security Law. This bill unanimously passed the House last session, but failed to receive consideration in the Senate. The current agricultural easement program explicitly allows for the creation of one additional farmstead residence. Sometimes, farmers do not need this additional residence and wish to further reduce the value of the property for a tax write-off or to make it easier to pass on to the next generation at a lower value. Current policy of the Department of Agriculture does not allow for the extinguishment of this right to an additional farmstead. I believe that the farmer should be allowed to exercise his or her judgment, based on their individual circumstances. This option would also be purely voluntary for the farmer. I certainly would appreciate your support of this legislation. Prior cosponsors: ROSS , BOYD , CALTAGIRONE , DALEY , ELLIS , GINGRICH , GOODMAN, HALUSKA , HARPER , HESS , HORNAMAN , LAWRENCE, LONGIETTI , MILNE , QUINN , RAPP , READSHAW , TOBASH and YOUNGBLOOD
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Introduced as HB83