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An Act
ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 915 By: Green of the Senate
and
Boles and Burns 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 applicability; providing
exception; providing when setback requirements shall
apply; providing for codification; providing an
effective date; and declaring an emergency.
SUBJECT: Solar energy facilities
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 facility” 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 generation installed by residential customers;
and
2. “Distributed generation” means distributed generation as
defined in Section 156 of Title 17 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
ENR. S. B. NO. 915 Page 2
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 and allow for the grazing of livestock. Provided,
the landowner or livestock owner shall not be liable for any damage
to the facility caused by livestock;
2. Be constructed at not less than eight (8) 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 five hundred (500) feet from
the nearest point on the outside wall of any occupied residence,
unless waived in writing by the owner of the residence;
5. Promote optimal runoff flow with diversions, terraces,
basins, and other earthworks to prevent soil loss and erosion; and
6. Be liable for all soil erosion occurring along the land in
which the panels are installed for the life of the project.
C. Any land owned and leased by the Commissioners of the Land
Office in which a commercial solar energy facility is constructed
on, shall also be made available to be leased by another party for
the purposes of livestock grazing.
D. Upon the effective date of this act, the owner of the
commercial solar energy facility shall be required to pay ad valorem
taxes and any other assessments due upon the improvements or
structures of the commercial solar energy facility. The owner of
the commercial solar energy facility shall make the required payment
to the county treasurer of the county not later than December 31 of
each year.
E. 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
ENR. S. B. NO. 915 Page 3
subsection B of this section. The landowner may elect not to
include such provisions in the leasing agreement.
F. The Corporation Commission shall enforce the provisions of
this act and may promulgate any rules necessary to effectuate the
provisions of this act, including the assessment of fines and fees.
G. This act shall apply to ten (10) megawatt and larger solar
energy and associated battery storage facilities. Furthermore, this
act shall not apply to any project that the Commissioners of the
Land Office has a lease with as of the effective date of this act.
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.
ENR. S. B. NO. 915 Page 4
Passed the Senate the 20th day of May, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the 5th day of May, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________