The Regulated Industries Committee voted to report CS for SB 1304 favorably after debate and public comment from multiple rural county commissioners who urged giving counties more local oversight over utility‑scale solar facilities and requiring decommissioning plans.

Senator Bradley, the sponsor, told the committee that a 2021 law allowed solar facilities as a permitted use on agricultural land and prohibited local governments from imposing larger setbacks or buffers than other agricultural uses. Bradley said counties now face a rapid increase in utility‑scale solar projects and lack authority to manage setbacks, cumulative concentration of facilities, property‑value impacts, aesthetics and the eventual end‑of‑life disposal of panels and equipment.

To address those concerns, SB 1304 removes the current statutory provision that categorically allows solar by right on agricultural land and authorizes — but does not mandate — counties to adopt ordinances requiring decommissioning plans that would require a facility owner to remove infrastructure and remediate land at the end of the project’s useful life. Bradley said the goal is to give counties “a voice” about location and cumulative impacts and to ensure remediation after a facility is retired.

Several county commissioners and local officials testified in support. Columbia County Commissioner Rocky Ford said constituents worry about what happens when panels reach the end of their useful life and asked for local oversight and decommissioning safeguards. DeSoto County Commissioner Elton Lankford, Clay County Commissioner Betsy Condon, Lafayette County representative Patrick Bell and Gilchrist County Commissioner Daryl Smith all said their counties face multiple existing or proposed large installations and that decommissioning rules and local input are important for rural communities that rely on agriculture and forestry.

Bradley told the committee she is open to negotiations with utilities and stakeholders to find a balanced approach that allows renewable development while giving counties meaningful oversight. The panel adopted a technical amendment (barcode 450692) and then reported CS for SB 1304 favorably.

The bill’s sponsor and supporters framed the measure as a first step to allow counties to require decommissioning and to address cumulative impacts; they did not seek a statewide mandate requiring decommissioning, and the bill permits local governments to adopt their own rules under the statutory outline.

Votes and next steps: the committee adopted the technical amendment and reported CS for SB 1304 favorably; sponsors said they will continue to work with utilities and counties on detailed standards for decommissioning and local oversight.