The House Agriculture and Small Business Committee on Wednesday approved a bill to give horse owners long-sought tax relief. The measure would exempt horse owners from paying state sales tax on feed, fertilizers, machinery and other items used in their operations. Other livestock sectors already have such exemptions.
The bill would cost the state treasury nearly $35 million per year at a time when much of state government is facing budget cuts.
Due to that hefty price tag, Rep. Mike Denham proposed more modest tax relief.
His proposal would have exempted equine medications from the sales tax. But several committee members objected, so the more limited proposal never received a vote.
