Commissioner Larry C. Porter and other county officials reported on March 4 that they testified in Annapolis on bills that would preempt local siting authority for utility‑scale solar projects and address taxation and decommissioning. Porter said the pair of bills discussed were House Bill 1036 and Senate Bill 931.

Porter and other speakers described a contentious hearing where county representatives, farmers and local officials urged the General Assembly not to strip counties of siting authority. County testimony emphasized that Caroline County had previously adopted a 2017 solar ordinance and set acreage limits after stakeholder workshops, and asked the legislature to carve out counties that have been collaborative. Speakers said the bill sponsor characterized some counties as effectively zoning solar out, and that the state’s approach aims to create a uniform framework.

Commissioners said they expected to secure some concessions on taxation and decommissioning — possibly adjustments to decommissioning bond or tax treatment — but that the siting authority is the most likely item to be taken away. Several commissioners predicted the bill will pass in some form and that the Eastern Shore could see increased solar siting activity if federal subsidies and state policy align.

Commissioners noted broader fiscal pressures in Annapolis, including a multibillion‑dollar budget gap and pending changes to state funding formulas for education and open‑space programs, and said county budgets will feel pressure if the state shifts costs to local governments. The board urged vigilance and said it will continue to monitor proposed amendments from the Maryland Association of Counties and to advocate for local input into siting and tax provisions.

No county position vote was taken at the meeting; commissioners described next steps as monitoring amendments and staying engaged with the legislature.