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SENATE FLOOR VERSION
March 6, 2025
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
SENATE BILL NO. 915 By: Green of the Senate
and
Boles of the House
An Act relating to solar energy facilities; defining
terms; requiring certain newly constructed facilities
to meet certain standards; providing applicability;
providing for fee payment; directing rule
promulgation; providing for codification; providing
an effective date; and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 160.41 of Title 17, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. As used in this section:
1. “Commercial solar energy facili ty” means an installation of
interconnected photovoltaic, ground -mounted solar panels on a tract
of land in this state, which generate electricity for distribution.
Provided, the term shall not include any solar energy generated
through distributed genera tion installed by residential customers;
and
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2. “Distributed generation ” means distributed generation as
defined in Section 156 of Title 17 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
B. Any commercial solar energy facility constructed on land
owned and leased by the Commissioners of the Land Office on and
after the effective date of this act shall:
1. Be installed on permanent grass that is suitable for
livestock grazing. Provided, the landowner sha ll not be liable for
any damage to the facility caused by livestock;
2. Be constructed at not less than six (6) feet high from the
lowest point of the solar panel;
3. If there is more than one row of solar panels, provide not
less than twenty-five (25) feet of space between each row;
4. Be constructed not less than three hundred (300) yards from
the nearest point on the outside wall of any residential dwelling;
5. Promote optimal runoff flow with diversions, terraces,
basins, and other earthworks to pre vent soil loss and erosion; and
6. Be liable for all soil erosion occur ring along the land in
which the panels are installed for the life of the project.
C. Upon the effective date of this act, the Commissioners of
the Land Office shall be required to make a payment in lieu of ad
valorem taxes with respect to real property l ocated in any county of
this state that has a commercial solar facility installed. The
Commissioners of the Land Office shall make the required payment to
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the county treasurer of the county not later than December 31 of
each year.
D. 1. A leasing agreement offered to a landowner by an
operator of a solar energy facility shall, if elected by the
landowner, offer the same provisions as prescribed in paragraphs 1
through 6 of subsection B of this section. The landowner may elect
not to include such provisi ons in the leasing agreement.
2. The monetary rate offered in such leasing agreement shall be
proportional to the amount of power generated by the operator of the
commercial solar ene rgy facility.
E. The Corporation Commission shall enforce the provision s of
this act and may promulgate any rules necessary to effectuate the
provisions of this act , including the assessment of fines and fees .
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON ENERGY
March 6, 2025 - DO PASS AS AMENDED BY CS