Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF2297 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		1.1 A bill for an act
2	2		1.2 relating to utilities; establishing a special license plate for solar pollinator programs;
3	3		1.3 providing agrivoltaic solar sites may be eligible for solar site management practices;
4	4		1.4 amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 216B.1642, by adding a subdivision;
5	5		1.5 proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 168.
6	6		1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
7	7		1.7 Section 1. [168.1289] MINNESOTA SOLAR POLLINATOR PROGRAM SPECIAL
8	8		1.8LICENSE PLATES.
9	9		1.9 Subdivision 1.Issuance of plates.(a) The commissioner must issue solar pollinator
10	10		1.10program special license plates or a single motorcycle plate to an applicant who:
11	11		1.11 (1) is a registered owner of a passenger automobile, noncommercial one-ton pickup
12	12		1.12truck, motorcycle, or recreational motor vehicle;
13	13		1.13 (2) pays a fee in the amount specified for special plates under section 168.12, subdivision
14	14		1.145, for each set of plates, along with any other fees required by this chapter;
15	15		1.15 (3) pays the registration tax required under section 168.013;
16	16		1.16 (4) contributes a minimum of $60 annually to the Board of Water and Soil Resources
17		-	1.17pollinator account in section 103B.101, subdivision 19, and ~~contributes a minimum of $25~~
18		-	1.~~18annually to the Board~~ of ~~Regents of the University of Minnesota to fund the College of~~
19		-	1.~~19Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences research and outreach centers' work on~~
20		-	1.~~20applied agrivoltaics;~~ ~~and~~
21		-	1.21 (5) ~~complies with this chapter and rules governing registration of motor vehicles and~~
22		-	1.~~22licensing of drivers~~.
	17	+	1.17pollinator account in section 103B.101, subdivision 19; and
	18	+	1.18 (5) complies with this chapter and rules governing registration of motor vehicles and
	19	+	1.19licensing of drivers.
	20	+	1.20 (b) The solar pollinator program plate application must indicate that the annual
	21	+	1.21contribution specified under paragraph (a), clause (4), is a minimum contribution to receive
	22	+	1.22the plate and that the applicant may make an additional contribution to the account.
23	23		1Section 1.
24		-	REVISOR KRB ~~H2297-1~~~~HF2297 FIRST ENGROSSMENT~~
	24	+	REVISOR KRB/DD 25-0383103/04/25
25	25		State of Minnesota
26	26		This Document can be made available
27	27		in alternative formats upon request
28	28		HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
29	29		H. F. No. 2297
30	30		NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
31		-	Authored by Myers; Falconer; Anderson, P. H.; Norris and Rehrauer03/13/2025
32		-	The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Energy Finance and Policy
33		-	Adoption of Report: Amended and re-referred to the Committee on Agriculture Finance and Policy04/03/2025 2.1 (b) The solar pollinator program plate application must indicate that the annual
34		-	2.2contributions specified under paragraph (a), clause (4), are the minimum contributions
35		-	2.3necessary to receive the plate and that the applicant may make additional contributions to
36		-	2.4those accounts.
37		-	2.5 Subd. 2.Design.The commissioner must adopt a suitable plate design in consultation
38		-	2.6with the Board of Water and Soil Resources and other groups interested in solar pollinator
39		-	2.7and agrivoltaic habitats and practices.
40		-	2.8 Subd. 3.Plates transfer.On application to the commissioner and payment of a transfer
41		-	2.9fee of $5, special plates issued under this section may be transferred to another motor vehicle
42		-	2.10if the subsequent vehicle is:
43		-	2.11 (1) qualified under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (1), to bear the special plate; and
44		-	2.12 (2) registered to the same individual to whom the special plates were originally issued.
45		-	2.13 Subd. 4.Exemption.Special plates issued under this section are not subject to section
46		-	2.14168.1293, subdivision 2.
47		-	2.15 Subd. 5.Contribution and fees.Contributions collected under subdivision 1, paragraph
48		-	2.16(a), clause (4), must be paid, as applicable, to: (1) the commissioner and credited to the
49		-	2.17Board of Water and Soil Resources pollinator account established in section 103B.101,
50		-	2.18subdivision 19; and (2) the commissioner of agriculture and credited to the pollinator research
51		-	2.19account in the agricultural fund established in section 18B.051. The other fees collected
52		-	2.20under this section must be deposited in the driver and vehicle services operating account
53		-	2.21under section 299A.705.
54		-	2.22 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2026, for solar pollinator
55		-	2.23program special plates issued on or after that date.
56		-	2.24 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 216B.1642, is amended by adding a subdivision
57		-	2.25to read:
58		-	2.26 Subd. 3.Agrivoltaics site management.(a) An owner of a solar site implementing solar
59		-	2.27site management practices under this section may claim the site is an agrivoltaics site if the
60		-	2.28site is directly integrated with agricultural activities or conservation practices, including:
61		-	2.29 (1) crop production;
62		-	2.30 (2) rotational or conservation grazing;
63		-	2.31 (3) providing perennial vegetation for pollinator habitat and soil and water benefits under
64		-	2.32subdivision 2;
	31	+	Authored by Myers; Falconer; Anderson, P. H., and Norris03/13/2025
	32	+	The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Energy Finance and Policy 2.1 Subd. 2.Design.The commissioner must adopt a suitable plate design in consultation
	33	+	2.2with the Board of Water and Soil Resources and other groups interested in solar pollinator
	34	+	2.3and agrivoltaic habitats and practices.
	35	+	2.4 Subd. 3.Plates transfer.On application to the commissioner and payment of a transfer
	36	+	2.5fee of $5, special plates issued under this section may be transferred to another motor vehicle
	37	+	2.6if the subsequent vehicle is:
	38	+	2.7 (1) qualified under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (1), to bear the special plate; and
	39	+	2.8 (2) registered to the same individual to whom the special plates were originally issued.
	40	+	2.9 Subd. 4.Exemption.Special plates issued under this section are not subject to section
	41	+	2.10168.1293, subdivision 2.
	42	+	2.11 Subd. 5.Contribution and fees.Contributions collected under subdivision 1, paragraph
	43	+	2.12(a), clause (4), must be paid to the commissioner and credited to the Board of Water and
	44	+	2.13Soil Resources pollinator account established in section 103B.101, subdivision 19. The
	45	+	2.14other fees collected under this section must be deposited in the driver and vehicle services
	46	+	2.15operating account under section 299A.705.
	47	+	2.16 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective January 1, 2026, for solar pollinator
	48	+	2.17program special plates issued on or after that date.
	49	+	2.18 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 216B.1642, is amended by adding a subdivision
	50	+	2.19to read:
	51	+	2.20 Subd. 3.Agrivoltaics site management.(a) An owner of a solar site implementing solar
	52	+	2.21site management practices under this section may claim the site is an agrivoltaics site if the
	53	+	2.22site is directly integrated with agricultural activities or conservation practices, including:
	54	+	2.23 (1) crop production;
	55	+	2.24 (2) rotational or conservation grazing;
	56	+	2.25 (3) providing perennial vegetation for pollinator habitat and soil and water benefits under
	57	+	2.26subdivision 2;
	58	+	2.27 (4) production of agricultural commodities for sale in the retail or wholesale market; or
	59	+	2.28 (5) any of the above practices together with other activities under this section to produce
	60	+	2.29soil and water benefits.
65	61		2Sec. 2.
66		-	REVISOR KRB H2297-1HF2297 FIRST ENGROSSMENT 3.1 (4) production of agricultural commodities for sale in the retail or wholesale market; or
67		-	3.2 (5) any of the above practices together with other activities under this section to produce
68		-	3.3soil and water benefits.
69		-	3.4 (b) An owner making an agrivoltaics claim under this section must also provide the site's
70		-	3.5agrivoltaics management plan and management practices report for agency feedback in the
71		-	3.6manner described in subdivision 2.
72		-	3.7 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
	62	+	REVISOR KRB/DD 25-0383103/04/25 3.1 (b) An owner making an agrivoltaics claim under this section must also provide the site's
	63	+	3.2agrivoltaics management plan and management practices report for agency feedback in the
	64	+	3.3manner described in subdivision 2.
	65	+	3.4 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment.
73	66		3Sec. 2.
74		-	REVISOR KRB ~~H2297-1~~~~HF2297 FIRST ENGROSSMENT~~
	67	+	REVISOR KRB/DD 25-0383103/04/25