H.R. 5929 would permanently authorize the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program, which currently operates under temporary annual authorizations that expire each year. The bill makes a simple change to federal law by replacing language that limits the program's authorization to fiscal year 2019 with language allowing it to continue indefinitely without requiring repeated congressional reauthorizations. PILT provides federal payments to counties and local governments to compensate for tax revenue they lose because the federal government owns large amounts of land within their jurisdictions, such as national forests and public lands. This bill would primarily benefit local governments in western states and other regions with significant federal land holdings that depend on these payments for schools, roads, and other services. By making the program permanent, the legislation would provide greater certainty and stability for state and local budget planning instead of the current practice of extending funding year by year.
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