SB 915: Solar energy; requiring certain commercial solar energy facilities to meet certain standards. Effective date. Emergency. - Oklahoma

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

MODERATE

The bill was revised from the House version to the Senate version, with the Senate making several substantive changes to the solar energy facility requirements and provisions. The Senate version adjusts distance requirements, modifies tax payment obligations, and restructures leasing agreement provisions.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on commercial solar energy facilities, but the Senate version modifies specific applicability thresholds and requirements for facilities on state-owned land.

REQUIREMENT

Changed the distance requirement from 500 feet to 300 yards from the nearest point on the outside wall of any residential dwelling.

FISCAL

Modified tax payment obligations by changing the requirement from the facility owner to the Commissioners of the Land Office making a payment in lieu of ad valorem taxes.

ELIGIBILITY

Adjusted the leasing agreement provisions to require monetary rates proportional to power generated by the operator.

DEFINITION

Reorganized the bill structure with Senate floor version formatting and updated committee report dates.

Committee Substitute → Floor (House) · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was corrected and reformatted for the House floor version, with substantive changes to solar facility requirements and applicability. The most significant change is expanding the bill's scope to apply to 10 megawatt and larger solar facilities with battery storage, and to projects still in development as of the effective date. Several requirements were modified to increase spacing between solar panels from 300 yards to 500 feet from residences, and the payment requirements were clarified to apply to facility owners rather than just the Land Office Commissioners.

Scope change

The bill now applies to 10 megawatt and larger solar energy facilities with battery storage, and includes projects in development that do not yet have interconnection agreements in place as of the effective date.

SCOPE

Added applicability to 10 megawatt and larger solar facilities with battery storage systems.

Extended applicability to projects in development without interconnection agreements as of the effective date.

REQUIREMENT

Increased minimum distance requirement from solar panels to occupied residences from 300 yards to 500 feet.

Changed livestock grazing requirement to explicitly allow grazing on commercial solar facilities owned by the Land Office.

FISCAL

Clarified that facility owners must pay ad valorem taxes and assessments on solar facilities, rather than only the Land Office Commissioners.

TECHNICAL

Corrected formatting errors and added 'ENGROSSED' designation to indicate the bill version.

House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill → Committee Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered from SB 915 to SB 1720 and reorganized into a Committee Substitute format. The most significant substantive change is that the solar facility leasing agreement provisions were moved from subsection B to subsection D, and a new subsection D.2 was added requiring lease rates to be proportional to power generated. The requirement for facilities to be 500 feet from residences was reduced to 300 yards, and the solar facility definition was clarified to exclude residential distributed generation.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on commercial solar energy facilities on state-owned land, but the distance requirement from residences was reduced from 500 feet to 300 yards, and the applicability threshold was clarified to include projects with interconnection agreements after the effective date.

REQUIREMENT

Distance requirement between solar panels and residential dwellings reduced from 500 feet to 300 yards

New requirement that leasing agreement rates must be proportional to power generated by the facility

DEFINITION

Clarified that commercial solar energy facilities exclude residential distributed generation installations

TECHNICAL

Bill renumbered from SB 915 to SB 1720 and reorganized into Committee Substitute format

STRUCTURE

Solar facility leasing provisions reorganized from subsection B to subsection D with new subsection D.2 added

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 → House Committee Substitute for Senate Bill · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was substantially reworked from a proposed oversight committee version to a house committee substitute version. The primary change is the replacement of the entire measure with a new version that includes updated terminology and formatting. The substantive policy content regarding solar energy facilities appears to remain largely the same, though some line numbers and tracking identifiers were updated.

Scope change

No substantive change to the bill's scope or applicability; the changes are primarily formatting, tracking number updates, and structural reorganization of the document.

TECHNICAL

Document title changed from 'PROPOSED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE' to 'COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR ENGROSSED' indicating a procedural status change.

Request number updated from 13584 to 13606 on multiple pages, indicating a new tracking identifier for this version.

Date stamp changed from 04/22/25 to 04/23/25, reflecting the updated version date.

Sponsor attribution updated to show 'Green of the Senate and Boles of the House' with a cleaner layout format.

Enrolled (final version) → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was amended to replace the entire text with a committee substitute version that modifies key requirements for commercial solar energy facilities. The most significant change is reducing the minimum height requirement for solar panels from 8 feet to 6 feet, while also adding a new provision that applies the law to projects in development without interconnection agreements. The grazing provisions were also slightly modified to remove the liability protection for livestock owners.

Scope change

The bill's applicability was expanded to include projects in development that do not yet have interconnection agreements in place, in addition to the existing 10 megawatt threshold requirement.

REQUIREMENT

Reduced minimum solar panel height requirement from 8 feet to 6 feet above ground level

Removed liability protection for livestock owners when livestock damage solar facilities

ELIGIBILITY

Added applicability to projects in development without interconnection agreements as of the effective date

TECHNICAL

Changed landowner liability language from 'landowner or livestock owner' to just 'landowner' for facility damage

Engrossed → Enrolled (final version) · 7 edits · May 21, 2025

MODERATE

This bill was finalized and approved by the Governor after passing both legislative chambers. The final version includes substantive changes to solar facility requirements, including increased setback distances from residences and modified grazing provisions for land owned by state officials.

Scope change

The bill now applies to facilities of 10 megawatts or larger with associated battery storage, and excludes projects the Commissioners of the Land Office already have leases for as of the effective date.

REQUIREMENT

Setback distance from residences increased from 300 yards to 500 feet with a waiver option for occupied residences

Minimum height requirement for solar panels increased from 6 feet to 8 feet

ELIGIBILITY

New provision allowing land owned by Commissioners of the Land Office to be leased for livestock grazing

FISCAL

Tax payment responsibility shifted from Commissioners of the Land Office to the commercial solar facility owner

SCOPE

Applicability threshold set at 10 megawatts or larger for solar and battery storage facilities

DEFINITION

Grazing provision modified to require land to allow livestock grazing rather than just being suitable for it

ENFORCEMENT

Added exception for projects with existing leases held by Commissioners of the Land Office as of effective date

Amended And Engrossed → Engrossed · 5 edits · May 20, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to reduce setback requirements for solar facilities on state land, change liability rules for livestock damage, and adjust tax payment responsibilities from private owners to state officials. These changes make it easier to build solar projects on public land while clarifying who is responsible for maintenance and taxes.

Scope change

The bill's scope was modified to apply to solar facilities on state-owned land with reduced construction distance requirements and altered liability provisions.

REQUIREMENT

Minimum height requirement for solar panels changed from 8 feet to 6 feet, and row spacing requirement changed from 25 feet to 25 feet (unchanged), but setback distance from residences reduced from 500 feet to 300 yards.

ELIGIBILITY

Liability for livestock damage to solar facilities removed from landowners and instead placed on the state, reducing barriers for grazing on solar sites.

FISCAL

Ad valorem tax payment responsibility shifted from commercial solar facility owners to the Commissioners of the Land Office for state-owned land.

ENFORCEMENT

Leasing agreement provisions for solar facilities on state land were restructured to allow landowners to opt-out of standard terms.

TECHNICAL

Document formatting and page numbering were reorganized during the amendment process, with some sections renumbered.

Introduced → Amended And Engrossed · 8 edits · May 20, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to significantly expand its scope and modify requirements for commercial solar energy facilities. The House amendment changed the applicability from all lands to only state-owned lands, increased height and spacing requirements, added tax payment obligations, and created new provisions for leasing agreements and enforcement penalties.

Scope change

The bill's applicability was narrowed from all lands in the state to only lands owned or leased by the Commissioners of the Land Office, but new provisions were added for leasing agreements to private landowners.

SCOPE

Changed applicability from all lands in Oklahoma to only lands owned or leased by the Commissioners of the Land Office

Added applicability threshold of 10 megawatt or larger facilities

REQUIREMENT

Increased minimum height requirement from 6 feet to 8 feet and spacing between rows from 20 feet to 25 feet

Changed setback requirement from 500 yards to 500 feet from occupied residences

Added requirement for owners to pay ad valorem taxes on solar facilities by December 31 each year

Added provision requiring leasing agreements to offer same grazing provisions as state-owned land

ENFORCEMENT

Added authority for Corporation Commission to assess fines and fees

EXCEPTIONS

Added exception for projects where Land Office already has a lease as of effective date

Solar energy; requiring certain commercial solar energy facilities to meet certain standards. Effective date. Emergency.

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