DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 638 Original 2025 Regular Session Coates
Abstract: Authorizes the Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry, in consultation with the LSU AgCenter,
to promulgate rules for the imposition of fees for the conversion of agricultural resources for
large-scale solar development.
Proposed law authorizes the Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry to impose fees as part of a letter of
clearance process required by HB 615 of this Regular Session for solar developments with a footprint
of 10 acres or more.
Proposed law requires the dept. to promulgate rules for a method of charging an annual per acre fee
to offset the impacts of conversion of agricultural resources for solar development.
Proposed law provides that the method of calculating fees may be based on the following:
(1)Average yield per acre.
(2)Commodity-specific factors, for commodities such as sugarcane, corn, cotton, soybeans,
livestock, pasture, and timber.
(3)Any other factor deemed necessary to establish a method to be applied statewide.
Proposed law establishes a Solar Conversion Fund in the state treasury and requires all fees collected
pursuant to proposed law be deposited into the fund after being credited to the Bond Security and
Redemption Fund. Further requires that all unexpended and unencumbered monies in the fund be
invested by the treasurer and deposited into the fund.
Proposed law requires that fees collected pursuant to proposed law be used only for the costs
incurred by the dept. during the letter of clearance process and for the costs to replace or otherwise
mitigate the loss of agricultural resources being converted for large-scale solar development.
Effective only if HB 615 of this 2025 Regular Session becomes law.
(Adds R.S. 30:1129)