HF 2297 Minnesota House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Special license plate established for solar pollinator programs, and agrivoltaic solar sites made eligible for solar site management practices.

HF 2297 establishes special license plates for vehicles owned by Minnesotans who support solar pollinator habitats, requiring a $60 annual contribution to a pollinator fund. It also adds agrivoltaic solar sites - those integrated with farming practices like crop production or pollinator habitats - to eligibility for solar site management programs under state law. Owners of such sites must submit management plans for agency review. The special plates become available January 1, 2026, while the agrivoltaics provisions take effect immediately upon enactment.

Issues: ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Mar 13, 2025 Last action Apr 7, 2025

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What changed between versions

Introduction → 1st Engrossment · 3 edits · Apr 3, 2025

MINOR

This bill update adds a new requirement for solar pollinator license plate applicants to contribute an additional $25 annually to the University of Minnesota to support agrivoltaic research. It also clarifies that the total annual contribution is mandatory to receive the plate, rather than a minimum threshold. Finally, the bill designates a new 'pollinator research account' in the agricultural fund to receive these university contributions, separating them from the existing pollinator account used for soil and water resources.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include a specific funding stream for university research on agrivoltaics, creating a new financial obligation for license plate applicants.

FISCAL

Added a mandatory $25 annual contribution to the University of Minnesota's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences to fund agrivoltaics research.

Established a new 'pollinator research account' within the agricultural fund to receive the university contributions.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the language regarding annual contributions from a 'minimum' contribution to a mandatory requirement to receive the license plate.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 3, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report, to adopt as amended and re-refer to Agriculture Finance and Policy

lower

Mar 13, 2025

Introduced

Introduction and first reading, referred to Energy Finance and Policy

lower

1 primary · 5 co-sponsors