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Bill > HB908

MD HB908

MD HB908
Electricity - Community Solar Energy Generating Systems Program and Property Taxes

summary

Introduced
02/09/2023
In Committee
04/04/2023
Crossed Over
03/18/2023
Passed
04/10/2023
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
05/16/2023

Introduced Session

2023 Regular Session

Bill Summary

AN ACT concerning Electricity - Community Solar Energy Generating Systems Program and Property Taxes FOR the purpose of making permanent the Community Solar Energy Generating Systems Pilot Program; requiring a community solar energy generating system under the Program to serve a certain percentage of its kilowatt-hour output to low-income and moderate-income subscribers under certain circumstances; authorizing a subscription coordinator to act on behalf of a subscriber organization; altering requirements related to the siting and size of certain community solar energy generating systems projects; authorizing the use of consolidated billing for certain subscription charges; prohibiting a subscriber organization or subscription coordinator from charging an LMI subscriber a certain subscription rate; requiring an electric company to provide certain data to a subscriber organization or subscription coordinator; authorizing an electric company to charge a certain fee for the use of consolidated billing; requiring a person constructing or operating a community solar energy generating system to address critical area, climate resilience, and forest conservation concerns in a certain manner; requiring the Public Service Commission to establish a stakeholder workgroup related to the development of certain regulations; requiring the Commission to adopt certain regulations making the pilot program permanent, allowing for the use of consolidated billing, and implementing the provisions of this Act; requiring the Commission to consider and implement certain methodologies to allow tenants of master-metered residential facilities to participate in the Program; repealing provisions related to maintenance of subscriptions if a subscriber has a change of address; prohibiting certain subscription rates and charges from being set at more than a certain amount; establishing certain prevailing wage or labor requirements for developers of certain community solar energy generating system projects; creating a full-time position within the Commission for a certain purpose; altering the personal property tax exemption for certain community solar energy generating systems; and generally relating to the Community Solar Energy Generating Systems Program community solar energy generating systems. BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, Article - Public Utilities Section 7-306.2 Annotated Code of Maryland (2020 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, Article - Tax - Property Section 7-237 Annotated Code of Maryland (2019 Replacement Volume and 2022 Supplement) (As enacted by Chapters 38, 415, 658, and 659 of 2022)

AI Summary

This bill makes permanent the Community Solar Energy Generating Systems Pilot Program, which allows residents and businesses to access local solar electricity through community solar projects. Key provisions include: - Requiring community solar projects to serve at least 40% of their output to low-income and moderate-income (LMI) subscribers, unless the project is wholly owned by the subscribers or a nonprofit. - Authorizing the use of consolidated billing, where the electric company includes the monthly subscription charge on the customer's electric bill and remits payment to the subscriber organization. - Establishing new verification methods for LMI subscriber eligibility and prohibiting subscriber organizations from charging LMI subscribers more than 90% of the bill credit value. - Requiring prevailing wage or labor agreement requirements for community solar projects over 1 MW. - Providing a property tax exemption for community solar projects that serve at least 50% of their energy to LMI customers at a 20% discount. - Creating a new full-time position at the Public Service Commission to focus on implementing and administering the program. Overall, this bill aims to expand access to community solar, especially for LMI customers, and provide more consumer protections and incentives for the development of community solar in Maryland.

Committee Categories

Business and Industry, Education

Sponsors (27)

Last Action

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 652 (on 05/16/2023)
(1 Companion Bills)

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