Senate 701

WEST virginia legislature

2025 regular session

Committee Substitute

for

Committee Substitute

for

Senate Bill 701

By Senators Woodrum, Deeds, hamilton, and Jeffries

[Reported March 28, 2025, from the Committee on Finance]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding one new section, designated §11-8-5a, relating to taxation; classifying forestry equipment as Class I property; recognizing forestry as a component of agriculture essential to this state's economy; defining forestry equipment; exempting the sale of forestry equipment from the consumers sales and service tax; and providing for effective dates.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

article 8. levy and classification of property.

§11-8-5a. Classification of forestry property for levy purposes.

(a) The purpose of this article is to support West Virginia's forestry industry by classifying forestry equipment as Class I property, recognizing forestry as a component of agriculture essential to the state's economy.

(b) For the purposes of property tax classification under §11-8-5 of this code, forestry equipment used in the harvesting, processing, or transportation of forest products shall be classified as Class I property, consistent with the classification of agricultural equipment.

(c) Forestry equipment shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) Skidders, feller-bunchers, forwarders, cable yarders, forestry processors, dozers, and loaders;

(2) Trailers and other machinery primarily used in forestry operations.

(d) The definition of agriculture in this section shall expressly include forestry, encompassing the cultivation, harvesting, and processing of forest products.

(e) This section shall take effect on July 1, 2025.