Under the act, it shall be unlawful to use any form of weather modification, as defined in the act, in the state.

Any individual or entity deploying chemicals into the atmosphere shall disclose the contents of the chemicals to the Department of Natural Resources in a format determined by the Department.

Any individual or entity deploying chemicals into the atmosphere shall post a bond in the amount of $25,000,000 to cover damages, if any, to the environment caused by the deployment of such chemicals.

Any individual may report instances of weather modification to the Department. The Department shall create a form for such reporting and procedures to investigate whether weather modification occurred.

If the Department finds that weather modification occurred, the Department shall commence a civil action. If the court finds that a violation occurred, the court may grant relief as described in the act.

The Department shall report any known weather modification instances to the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration pursuant to federal regulations.

The act shall not preclude the use of pesticides for farming or ranching purposes.

The act changes membership requirements for the Air Conservation Commission from seven to eight members. The new such member shall be knowledgeable in weather modification.

The act changes membership requirements for the Clean Water Commission from seven to eight members. The new such member shall be knowledgeable in weather modification.

JULIA SHEVELEVA

Beginning August 28, 2026, all proposed transfers of agricultural land held by an alien or foreign business in the state shall be submitted to the Department of Agriculture to determine whether such transfers are conveyed in accordance with the prohibition on foreign ownership of agricultural land under the act.

The act is identical to SB 123 (2025), HB 725 (2025), SB 786 (2024), a provision in SB 924 (2024), HB 1571 (2024), HB 2138 (2024), HB 2928 (2024), SB 144 (2023), provisions in SCS/SBs 332 & 334, 541 & 144 (2023), SB 791 (2022), HB 1947 (2022), SB 243 (2021), HB 1136 (2021), HB 1492 (2020), substantially similar to a provision in CCS/SS/SCS/HCS/HB 903, 465, 430 & 499 (2023), and similar to HB 672 (2025), a provision in SCS/SB 217 (2025), a provision in SB 250 (2025), a provision in SCS/SB 734 (2024), SB 9 (2023).

JULIA SHEVELEVA

PERMIT FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SOLAR FARMS (Section 67.5350)

Under the act, prior to obtaining a certificate of public convenience or necessity from the Public Service Commission, any person constructing a solar farm shall first submit an application to the county commission in each county where the solar farm is to be located.

The county commission of any county shall adopt an order or an ordinance requiring a permit to construct a solar farm within specified boundaries in an unincorporated area within the county. The permit shall be constructed within specific distances from certain properties described in the act. The permit shall require noise levels not to exceed 45 decibels from any property line.

Within 90 days of receiving an application for a permit, the county commission shall hold a public meeting before the issuance of a permit. Notice shall be provided at least 14 days prior to the public meeting. The applicant shall provide certain information at the public meeting as described in the act.

No later than 90 days after the public meeting, the county commission shall do the following:

- Issue a permit;

- Issue a permit limiting the boundaries of the proposed solar farm; or

- Deny the permit.

Any applicant intending to make a material amendment to the permit once it is issued shall submit a new application for the permit to the county commission. The county commission shall require any applicant who is issued a permit to obtain liability insurance in an amount sufficient to cover any damages which may arise from the construction of the solar farm.

The Public Service Commission shall not issue a certificate of public convenience or necessity to any applicant who did not receive a permit from a county commission in each county where the solar farm is to be located.

The county commission of any county where a solar farm is proposed to be constructed shall require a decommissioning plan of the solar farm, as described in the act.

This provision has an emergency clause.

These provisions are similar to provisions in SB 213 (2025) and SB 892 (2024).

TAXATION OF SOLAR ENERGY PROJECTS (Section 137.100, 137.124, 153.030, & 153.034)

Current law exempts solar energy systems not held for resale from property taxes. This act repeals such provision and provides that solar energy systems constructed for exclusive use of a single property may be exempted from property tax at the discretion of the county assessor.

Beginning January 1, 2027, for purposes of assessing all real property, excluding land, or tangible personal property associated with a project that uses solar energy directly to generate electricity and that was built or constructed to sell power, the tax liability actually owed shall be equal to $6,000 per megawatt of nameplate capacity and shall be adjusted for inflation annually.

Nothing in this provision shall be construed to prohibit a project from engaging in enhanced enterprise zone agreements or similar tax abatement agreements or to affect any existing enhanced enterprise zone agreements.

Beginning January 1, 2027, for purposes of assessing land that is associated with a solar energy project, the land shall be assessed as commercial property.

Beginning January 1, 2027, for any public utility that has a solar energy project, such solar energy project shall be assessed using certain methodology for real and personal property as described in the act.

The real and tangible personal property associated with a project which uses solar energy shall include certain solar equipment as described in the act.

These provisions are identical to SB 892 (2024), HB 2651 (2024), SB 549 (2023), SB 1014 (2022) and HB 1997 (2022), and similar to provisions in SB 213 (2025), a provision in HCS#2/HBs 440 & 1160 (2025).

COMMISSION'S RULEMAKING AUTHORITY RELATING TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES ON AGRICULTURAL LAND (Section 393.172)

By March 31, 2027, the Public Service Commission shall promulgate rules applicable to electrical corporations requiring construction of electric transmission lines for which permission is sought from the Commission to adhere to specific standards relating to construction activities occurring on privately owned agricultural land. Such standards are described in the act.

This provision is identical to a provision in SB 213 (2025), SB 892 (2024), and similar to a provision in HB 221 (2025), a provision in SB 139 (2025), a provision in SB 805 (2024).

SOLAR PROJECTS NOT TO EXCEED MORE THAN 2% OF ALL CROPLAND (Section 393.1120)

The total amount of real property associated with all solar energy projects in any county shall not be more than 2% of all cropland in the county.

The county commission or other authorized governing body may increase the percentage of cropland by order, ordinance, regulation, or vote of the residents of the county.

Any resident of the county shall have standing to bring suit to enforce these provisions against a solar energy project developer.

For all solar energy projects built on or after January 1, 2027, such project shall be subject to setback distances, as described in the act. This provision shall not apply to solar projects built and operating at capacity on or before December 31, 2026.

A solar energy company shall secure all property rights or easements necessary for transmission and interconnection for the solar energy project to connect to the electrical grid prior to beginning construction of the solar energy project.

This provision is similar to a provision in HB 440 (2025).

CONDEMNATION OF PROPERTY (Section 523.010)

Under the act, the authority of any electrical corporation to condemn property shall not extend to the construction of any structure or facility that uses wind or solar energy to generate or manufacture electricity.

The authority of any electrical corporation to condemn property shall extend to acquisition of rights needed to construct, operate, and maintain certain electrical infrastructure, described in the act, needed to collect and deliver solar or wind energy to the distribution or transmission grid.

This provision is identical to SB 199 (2025), a provision in SB 214 (2025), SB 1262 (2024), to a provision in SB 805 (2024), a provision in HB 1449 (2024), a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 1746 (2024), provisions in HB 1052 (2023) and substantially similar to a provision in HB 221 (2025), a provision in HCS#2/HBs 440 & 1160 (2025), HB 475 (2025), a provision in SB 139 (2025), HB 1750 (2024), and SB 577 (2023).

JULIA SHEVELEVA

This act modifies the definition of "foreign business" to include professional corporations, nonprofit corporations, limited liability companies, or the equivalent of any entity listed in the current law, in which a controlling interest is owned or organized under the laws of a foreign country, or both.

Currently, no more than 1% of the total agricultural acreage in the state shall be owned by a foreign entity.

Under the act, beginning on the effective date of the act, no alien, foreign business, or a foreign government shall acquire agricultural land in the state. Any such foreign entity who acquired agricultural land in the state prior to the effective date of the act shall not transfer agricultural land to any other foreign entity on or after the effective date of the act.

No person may hold agricultural land as a fiduciary for a foreign government.

A foreign entity that acquired agricultural land in violation of the provisions of the act remains in violation of the act for as long as the foreign entity holds an interest in the agricultural land.

After the effective date of the act, all proposed transfers of any interest in agricultural land held by a foreign entity in the state shall be submitted to the Department of Agriculture at least 30 calendar days prior to such transfers being finalized to determine whether such transfers, or if land usage changes, are conveyed in accordance with the prohibition on foreign ownership of agricultural land in the state. Such sale or transfer submitted for review to the Department shall be deemed a closed record until such sale is finalized.

If the Director of the Department of Agriculture finds that a foreign entity has acquired agricultural land after the effective date of the act, instead of pursuant to the provisions under current law, the Director shall report such violation to the Attorney General.

This act creates a definition of "nonfarming" with respect to the current provisions regarding foreign-owned agricultural land being used for nonfarming purposes.

Additionally, beginning on the effective date of this act, no foreign adversary, as defined in the act, shall own agricultural land in the state for nonfarming purposes, which includes research purposes.

This act has an emergency clause.

This act is identical to SCS/SB 217 (2025), and similar to provisions in SB 250 (2025), HB 725 (2025), SB 806 (2024), provisions in SB 865 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1957 (2024), CCS/SS/SCS/HCS/HBs 903, 465, 430 & 499 (2023), SCS/SBs 332, 334, SB 541 & SB 144 (2023), provisions in SB 791 (2022), HB 1947 (2022), SB 243 (2021), HB 1136 (2021), HB 1492 (2020).

JULIA SHEVELEVA

The act repeals a provision stating that a state standard for the location, size of sewage tanks and length of lateral lines is based on the percolation or permeability rate of the soil. Under the act, the state standard is based on soil properties.

The act repeals a provision stating that soil tests are to be performed by persons who are qualified to perform the percolation tests and creates a new provision authorizing on-site soil evaluators registered by the Department of Health and Senior Services to conduct soils morphology evaluations.

This act repeals a provision stating that contractors may be taught and allowed to perform percolation tests.

The act repeals a provision relating to the Department of Health and Senior Services periodically reviewing any county and city regulation and enforcement record to ensure that the state standard for sewage regulation is being enforced.

The act creates a mandatory registration program requiring continuing education before January 1, 2027 for on-site wastewater treatment system professionals qualified to perform percolation tests in accordance with the state standard as described in the act. Before January 1, 2027, the administrative authority may accept a percolation test at its own discretion if a soil morphology evaluation cannot be reasonably obtained. This provision shall be void and of no effect after December 31, 2026.

Under the act, any person who intends to construct or make major modifications or repairs to an on-site sewage disposal system must submit an application fee and obtain a construction permit.

The act repeals certain provisions relating to fees for repair of on-site sewage disposal systems.

Under the act, the Department shall promulgate regulations establishing the conditions and requirements for the construction permit application, including the collection of reasonable fees set at a level to produce revenue not exceeding the cost and expense of administering the provisions under the act.

The act is identical to SB 601 (2025), a provision in the perfected HB 200 (2025), a provision in HCS/SS/SB 61 (2025), HB 2083 (2024), HB 814 (2023), and substantially similar to SB 1283 (2024), and SB 523 (2023).

JULIA SHEVELEVA

This act modifies the definition of "foreign business" to include professional corporations, nonprofit corporations, limited liability companies, or the equivalent of any entity listed in current law, in which a controlling interest is owned or organized under the laws of a foreign country, or both.

Currently, no more than 1% of the total agricultural acreage in the state shall be owned by a foreign entity.

Under the act, beginning on the effective date of the act, no alien, foreign business, or a foreign government shall acquire agricultural land in the state, including for nonfarming purposes. Any such foreign entity who acquired agricultural land in the state prior to the effective date of the act shall not transfer agricultural land to any other foreign entity on or after the effective date of the act.

No person may hold agricultural land as a fiduciary for a foreign government.

A foreign entity that acquired agricultural land in violation of the provisions of the act remains in violation of the act for as long as the foreign entity holds an interest in the agricultural land.

After the effective date of the act, all proposed transfers of any interest in agricultural land held by a foreign entity in the state shall be submitted to the Department of Agriculture at least 30 calendar days prior to such transfers being finalized to determine whether such transfers, or if land usage changes, are conveyed in accordance with the prohibition on foreign ownership of agricultural land in the state. Such sale or transfer submitted for review to the Department shall be deemed a closed record until such sale is finalized.

If the Director of the Department of Agriculture finds that a foreign entity has acquired agricultural land after the effective date of the act, instead of pursuant to the provisions under current law, the Director shall report such violation to the Attorney General.

This act creates a definition of "nonfarming" with respect to the current provisions regarding foreign-owned agricultural land being used for nonfarming purposes. Beginning on the effective date of this act, no foreign adversary, as defined in the act, shall own agricultural land in the state for nonfarming purposes, which includes research purposes.

Under the act, after the effective date of the act, an alien, foreign business, or foreign government shall not acquire agricultural land in the state for any purpose within 5 miles from any military installation or commercial establishment engaged in the development and manufacture of classified military or naval equipment.

Any foreign entity under the act who acquired agricultural land in the state, prior to the effective date of the act, that is within 5 miles from any such military or commercial establishment shall divest itself of the agricultural land.

The Attorney General shall enforce provisions of the act. Any individual may report violations of the act to the Attorney General. If the Attorney General believes that a violation occurred, the Attorney General shall commence a civil action.

The Attorney General shall file a notice of the pendency of the action with the recorder of deeds of each county where any portion of agricultural land at issue is located.

If the court finds that a violation occurred, the court shall enter an order so declaring and shall file a copy of the order with the recorder of deeds of each county where agricultural land at issue is located. The court shall order the owner of the agricultural land to divest himself of the agricultural land. The owner shall comply with the order within three years. Any agricultural land not divested within the three years period shall be ordered sold by the court at a public sale.

This act has an emergency clause.

This act is similar to provisions in SCS/SB 217 (2025), SB 250 (2025), HB 725 (2025), SB 806 (2024), provisions in SB 865 (2024), a provision in HCS/HB 1957 (2024), CCS/SS/SCS/HCS/HBs 903, 465, 430 & 499 (2023).

JULIA SHEVELEVA

The act provides that no person or entity shall engage in weather modification in the state. If a person or entity commits a violation under the act, the person or entity shall be subject to certain penalties, as described in the act.

Any individual may report violations of the act to the Department of Natural Resources. If the Department finds that a violation occurred, the Department shall ask the Attorney General to commence an action. If the court finds that a violation occurred, the court may grant relief, as described in the act.

The Department shall create a publicly accessible form online for the purpose of reporting instances of weather modification in the state. The Department shall establish a screening method of such reports and shall investigate every report for any violations.

All moneys collected from civil penalties shall be deposited into the Natural Resources Protection Fund.

Beginning on or after January 1, 2027, all operators of airports in the state shall submit monthly reports to the Department detailing any physical presence of any aircraft, or the landing, takeoff, stopover, or refueling of the aircraft, on the premises of the airport if the aircraft is used for or has components or parts used for the purpose of weather modification.

The Department shall review the reports to determine whether any violations occurred. If any violations occurred, the Department shall ask the Attorney General to commence an action, as described in the act.

The Department shall submit such reports to the Department of Transportation on a quarterly basis. The Department of Transportation shall not expend any state funds to any airport project or program if the airport has any aircraft on its premises that is engaged in weather modification.

JULIA SHEVELEVA