HB2281 proposes the establishment of a County Solar Royalties Fund in each county, to be administered by the county treasurer. The fund would be financed by owners or operators of solar panels within the county that are not owned by or exclusively contracted with eligible entities. The bill outlines the process for calculating contributions to the fund for solar facilities with partial power purchase agreements, reporting requirements, and payment of 12.5% of revenues from the sale of kilowatt-hours by solar panel operators to the county. The fund's monies are to be used primarily for paying property taxes within the county, with the possibility of funding law enforcement, fire departments, road or infrastructure improvements, or making direct payments to county residents if all property taxes are covered. The bill also specifies administrative costs and exemptions for certain types of solar panels, and defines "eligible entity."

The key changes introduced by the bill include the creation of the fund, the specific funding mechanism from solar panel operators, the use of the fund for property taxes and other county services, and the direct payment option to residents. It also clarifies the types of solar panels that are exempt from the requirements and defines what constitutes an eligible entity for the purposes of the fund.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 11-269.29
House Engrossed Version: 11-269.29