Relating to the authority of a taxing unit to enter into an agreement to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the value of property on which a renewable energy facility is located or is planned to be located.
SB 1754 prohibits municipalities and counties from entering tax exemption agreements for renewable energy facilities. The bill specifically blocks local governments from exempting from ad valorem taxes a portion of the value of property (or related equipment) where solar, wind, or qualifying battery storage facilities are located or planned. It defines "renewable energy facility" to include solar power generation, wind power generation, and battery storage facilities that collect, store, and discharge energy (excluding natural gas-based systems). This applies only to facilities selling energy wholesale to the power grid. The bill does not create new tax breaks but prevents local governments from offering them for these specific renewable energy projects.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 28, 2025
Last action May 2, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Introduced
→
Engrossed
·
4 edits
·
Apr 30, 2025
MODERATE
The bill text was reformatted from a draft version to an official engrossed version, with some substantive changes to the eligibility criteria for renewable energy tax exemptions. The most significant policy change is that the prohibition on tax abatement now applies to 'taxing units' (including municipalities) rather than just counties and industrial commissions, and the definition of renewable energy facilities was expanded to include qualifying battery energy storage facilities.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to include municipalities as entities subject to the tax abatement prohibition, whereas the original draft only applied to counties and county industrial commissions.
ELIGIBILITY
The entities prohibited from entering tax abatement agreements changed from counties and county industrial commissions to include the governing body of a municipality.
DEFINITION
A new definition for 'qualifying battery energy storage facility' was added, expanding the scope of renewable energy facilities to include battery storage systems that are not powered by natural gas.
The definition of renewable energy facility was updated to explicitly include qualifying battery energy storage facilities alongside solar and wind facilities.
TECHNICAL
The document was converted from a draft introduction format to an official engrossed version with updated header information and page numbering.
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
24
Key actions
6
Committee
7
May 2, 2025
Committee
Referred to Ways & Means
lower
May 2, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
May 1, 2025
Introduced
Received from the Senate
lower
Apr 30, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed
upper
Apr 16, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report printed and distributed
upper
Apr 16, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably w/o amendments
upper
Apr 15, 2025
Upper · Passed
Vote taken in committee
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Left pending in committee
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Testimony taken in committee
upper
Mar 13, 2025
Committee
Referred to Economic Development
upper
Mar 13, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
1 primary · 2 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Brian Birdwell
RRepublican
Co
Bob Hall
RRepublican
Co
Charles Schwertner
RRepublican
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