HB 2729 requires Missouri electric utilities to generate or purchase increasing amounts of electricity from renewable sources, starting at 15% by 2026 and reaching 100% by 2061. It mandates that at least 2% of this renewable energy must come from solar power, and utilities can meet requirements by buying renewable energy credits (RECs) from in-state generation. The bill also creates an exemption for large commercial "accelerated renewable buyers" (customers with over 80 average megawatts of load) who directly contract for renewable energy, allowing them to exclude that energy from utility calculations and avoid compliance costs. This directly affects all Missouri electric utilities and large commercial energy buyers, with phased targets extending through 2061.
HB 2849 requires Missouri school districts to purchase or contract for zero-emission school buses (electric or fuel-cell) for all new vehicles starting January 1, 2037. This directly affects all public school districts in Missouri, with limited exceptions allowed if a district demonstrates terrain or route constraints prevent feasible use of zero-emission technology, requiring approval from the Department of Natural Resources and Missouri Air Conservation Commission. Small districts (average daily attendance ≤350 students) may request annual extensions until 2047 under the same feasibility conditions. The law mandates a full transition to zero-emission school buses for new purchases, while acknowledging practical limitations through a structured exception process.
HB 2816 is a definitions bill that clarifies tax classifications for property in Missouri, specifically adding solar photovoltaic equipment (panels, racking, inverters) to the definition of "tangible personal property" for tax purposes. This applies only to solar systems installed and producing energy before August 9, 2022. The bill modifies existing tax definitions for terms like "agricultural crops," "hydroelectric equipment," and "real property," but does not create new taxes or regulations. It directly affects property tax assessments for solar energy systems meeting the specified criteria.
HB 2807 requires Missouri electric utilities to source increasing percentages of electricity from renewable sources like wind and solar, starting at 2% in 2011 and rising to 15% by 2025, with at least 2% specifically from solar. It creates an exemption for large commercial customers (over 80MW load) who purchase renewable energy and retire certificates, allowing them to avoid utility compliance costs. The bill establishes rules for tracking renewable energy certificates (RECs) and limits annual rate increases from compliance costs to 1%. Utilities must meet these requirements for all power sold to Missouri consumers, including purchased electricity.
HB 2661 establishes the Missouri Energy Infrastructure Bank and a dedicated fund to provide financial assistance for energy infrastructure projects. The program offers loans, bonds, and other support to electric providers (including utilities and rural cooperatives) for eligible projects like generation and transmission infrastructure, with priority given to projects in rural areas (counties with under 150,000 residents) that spur economic development. It explicitly excludes routine maintenance or repairs, focusing instead on new construction or upgrades requiring long-term planning. The bank will manage funds from the Energy Fund and Strategic Development Fund to finance these projects through mechanisms like interest rate subsidies and credit enhancements.
HB 2998 modifies Missouri statutes to support rural economic development through several concrete measures. It prohibits electric utilities from closing coal-fired power plants for five years (§393.407), requires solar projects to source 90% of equipment and labor from Missouri or the U.S. (§393.1120), and caps solar development on cropland at 2% per county (§393.1122). The bill also mandates prioritized funding for rural roads based on population (§226.035) and establishes a Rural Development Office within the Department of Economic Development to coordinate rural programs and report on community needs like broadband and healthcare (§620.070). These provisions directly affect utilities, solar developers, transportation planners, and rural communities across Missouri.
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HB 2980 requires counties to issue permits for solar power plants before the state can approve them. It sets specific rules: solar farms must be at least 1,000 feet from homes, schools, or churches; 300 feet from other properties; and 250 feet from roads, with noise limits of 45 decibels. Developers must submit safety plans, hold public meetings, and provide decommissioning plans with a bond covering 125% of cleanup costs before construction begins. The bill directly affects solar developers and county governments by adding local permitting requirements and cleanup accountability.
SB 838 modifies Missouri's renewable energy standard by establishing phased requirements for electric utilities: 2% renewable energy by 2013, increasing to 5% by 2017, 10% by 2020, and 7.5% annually starting in 2021. At least 2% of each utility's requirement must come from solar energy. The bill also creates an "accelerated renewable buyer" program for large commercial customers (over 80 average megawatts) that contract directly for renewable energy, allowing them to exclude that energy from utility compliance calculations and receive exemptions from renewable energy compliance costs. These changes directly affect Missouri's electric utilities and qualifying large commercial energy buyers.
SB 933 places a temporary pause on the construction of new solar energy projects across the state. This bill directly affects solar developers, project planners, and communities where new solar facilities were planned. The key provision halts all new construction permits and site development for utility-scale solar projects until the legislature reviews the policy, with no specific exemptions or duration outlined in the current text.
HB 2416 modifies Missouri's property tax assessment rules, directly affecting property owners and county assessors statewide. It sets specific tax rates (e.g., 19% for residential property, 5% for solar equipment and historic vehicles) and requires assessors to annually value real property at 33.3% of its current market value, with new assessments applied every odd-numbered year. Key changes include deducting private construction costs from airport-adjacent property valuations and adding requirements for computer-assisted valuations, where assessors must prove accuracy using comparable sales data. The bill also establishes a two-year assessment maintenance plan process for counties seeking state tax funds.
