House Bill No. [insert number] proposes the establishment of agricultural conversion fees for large-scale solar development in Louisiana. The bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture and Forestry to impose fees on solar power generation facilities that cover ten acres or more, aimed at mitigating the loss of agricultural resources. The department, in collaboration with the Louisiana State University AgCenter, is tasked with creating rules to determine an annual per-acre fee based on factors such as average yield and commodity-specific considerations, including crops like sugarcane, corn, and timber.

Additionally, the bill establishes a Solar Conversion Fund within the state treasury, where all collected fees will be deposited after being credited to the Bond Security and Redemption Fund. The funds will be used exclusively for costs associated with the review process and for mitigating the loss of agricultural resources due to solar development. The bill will only take effect if another related bill, HB 615, is enacted and becomes law.