HB 2156: Property; setback requirements for utility scale solar energy and industrial battery storage facilities; emergency. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended during its passage from the House to the Senate, primarily changing the scope of facilities covered and adjusting setback distance requirements. The Senate version now specifically targets utility-scale solar and battery storage facilities of 10 megawatts or larger, while the House version had broader language. Additionally, the Senate version reduced the setback distance from an occupied residence from 500 feet to 50 feet, and increased the setback from public roads from 100 feet to 100 feet (unchanged) but added a new requirement of a half-mile setback from public schools or hospitals.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed to specifically apply to 10 megawatt and larger solar energy and associated battery storage facilities, and the language was updated to exclude residential solar energy panels more explicitly.

REQUIREMENT

Setback distance from an occupied residence was reduced from 500 feet to 50 feet.

A new requirement was added mandating a half-mile setback from any public school or hospital.

SCOPE

The bill now explicitly applies only to 10 megawatt and larger solar energy and associated battery storage facilities.

DEFINITION

The definition of covered facilities was updated to more clearly exclude residential solar energy panels.

House Committee Substitute → Floor (House) · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill text has been reformatted from a House Committee Substitute version to a Floor version, with minor reorganization of the header and page numbering. The substantive policy content regarding setback requirements for solar energy and industrial battery storage facilities remains unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Header text changed from 'House Committee Substitute' to 'Floor (House)' version with updated page numbering and formatting.

Page footers updated from 'Req. No. 13217' to 'HB2156 HFLR' with committee amendment notation added.

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 → House Committee Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to change its title and scope, remove the 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute' designation, and update the bill number. The substantive policy content regarding setback requirements for solar energy and industrial battery storage facilities remains unchanged, though some line numbers and formatting were adjusted.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains the same regarding setback requirements, but the title was updated to reflect the new committee substitute designation and the bill was renumbered from 12481 to 13217.

TECHNICAL

Bill title changed from 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute' to 'Committee Substitute' and bill number updated from 12481 to 13217

Added 'of the House' and 'of the Senate' designations to the bill author names

Added 'providing when setback requirements shall apply' to the act description

Changed the application threshold from general facilities to specifically '10 megawatt and larger solar energy and industrial battery storage facilities'

Added provision that the act applies to projects in development without a power purchase agreement on or after the effective date

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 · 9 edits

MAJOR

The bill was renamed from 'Proposed Oversight Committee Substitute' to 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute' and the title was shortened. The substantive setback requirements for solar energy and industrial battery storage facilities were significantly reduced, with most distances decreased from 500 feet to 100 feet, and the 50-foot requirement removed entirely. The applicability threshold was removed, meaning the law now applies to all projects regardless of size.

Scope change

The bill's scope was broadened by removing the 10 megawatt minimum threshold, making the setback requirements applicable to all solar and industrial battery storage facilities regardless of size.

REQUIREMENT

Setback distance from occupied structures changed from 500 feet to 100 feet

Setback distance from public road right-of-way changed from 100 feet to 100 feet (no change in distance, but line numbering changed)

Removed 50-foot setback requirement from outer boundary of facility property

Removed 100-foot setback requirement from public road centerline

Removed 1/2 mile setback requirement from public schools or hospitals

Removed 1/2 mile setback requirement from wildlife refuges, management areas, or water bodies used by migratory waterfowl

Removed 1.5 mile setback requirement from airport centerlines

ELIGIBILITY

Removed 10 megawatt minimum size threshold, making requirements apply to all facility sizes

TECHNICAL

Changed bill designation from 'Proposed Oversight Committee Substitute' to 'Proposed Policy Committee Substitute'

Engrossed → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was substantially rewritten by the full committee, replacing the original text with a new version that broadens the scope of facilities covered and modifies setback requirements. The committee substituted version clarifies the language and adjusts certain distance thresholds for solar energy and battery storage facilities.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded from 'utility scale solar energy' to 'solar energy and industrial battery storage facilities', while maintaining the exclusion of residential solar panels.

REQUIREMENT

Setback requirements were modified to apply to 'occupied structure or occupied residence' instead of just 'occupied residence', potentially broadening the protection scope.

The emergency declaration threshold was changed from '10 megawatt' to '10 megawatt and larger' and the interconnection requirement was changed to 'power purchase agreement' instead of 'interconnection agreement'.

DEFINITION

The bill title was updated to reflect 'solar energy and industrial battery storage facilities' instead of 'utility scale solar energy and associated battery storage facilities'.

TECHNICAL

The document format was updated from 'Engrossed House' to 'Proposed Oversight Committee Substitute' with new page numbering and committee amendment markers.

Introduced → Engrossed · 4 edits · Mar 26, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to clarify that it applies to utility-scale solar energy and associated battery storage facilities (10 megawatts or larger) rather than all solar energy facilities. The scope was narrowed to exclude residential solar panels and to apply only to projects in development without an interconnection agreement as of the effective date. An emergency provision was added to allow immediate implementation upon passage.

Scope change

The bill now specifically targets utility-scale solar energy and battery storage facilities of 10 megawatts or larger, excluding residential solar panels and projects already under development with interconnection agreements in place.

SCOPE

Changed from all solar energy facilities to utility-scale solar energy and associated battery storage facilities, explicitly excluding residential solar panels.

ELIGIBILITY

Added requirement that the act applies only to projects in development that do not yet have an interconnection agreement in place on or after the effective date.

TIMELINE

Added emergency provision declaring immediate effect upon passage and approval rather than a fixed effective date.

REQUIREMENT

Modified setback requirements to include specific distances from public schools and hospitals (half mile) in addition to existing requirements for occupied structures, roads, and facility boundaries.

Property; setback requirements for utility scale solar energy and industrial battery storage facilities; emergency.

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