1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to utilities; establishing a special license plate for solar pollinator programs; 
1.3 	providing agrivoltaic solar sites may be eligible for solar site management practices;
1.4 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 216B.1642, by adding a subdivision; 
1.5 	proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 168.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. [168.1289] MINNESOTA SOLAR POLLINATOR PROGRAM SPECIAL 
1.8 	LICENSE PLATES.
1.9 		Subdivision 1.Issuance of plates. (a) The commissioner must issue solar pollinator 
1.10 	program special license plates or a single motorcycle plate to an applicant who:
1.11 	(1) is a registered owner of a passenger automobile, noncommercial one-ton pickup 
1.12 	truck, motorcycle, or recreational motor vehicle;
1.13 	(2) pays a fee in the amount specified for special plates under section 168.12, subdivision 
1.14 	5, for each set of plates, along with any other fees required by this chapter;
1.15 	(3) pays the registration tax required under section 168.013;
1.16 	(4) contributes a minimum of $60 annually to the Board of Water and Soil Resources 
1.17 	pollinator account in section 103B.101, subdivision 19, and contributes a minimum of $25 
1.18 	annually to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to fund the College of 
1.19 	Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences research and outreach centers' work on 
1.20 	applied agrivoltaics; and
1.21 	(5) complies with this chapter and rules governing registration of motor vehicles and 
1.22 	licensing of drivers.
2.1 	(b) The solar pollinator program plate application must indicate that the annual 
2.2 	contributions specified under paragraph (a), clause (4), are the minimum contributions 
2.3 	necessary to receive the plate and that the applicant may make additional contributions to 
2.4 	those accounts.
2.5 		Subd. 2.Design. The commissioner must adopt a suitable plate design in consultation 
2.6 	with the Board of Water and Soil Resources and other groups interested in solar pollinator 
2.7 	and agrivoltaic habitats and practices.
2.8 		Subd. 3.Plates transfer. On application to the commissioner and payment of a transfer 
2.9 	fee of $5, special plates issued under this section may be transferred to another motor vehicle 
2.10 	if the subsequent vehicle is:
2.11 	(1) qualified under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause (1), to bear the special plate; and
2.12 	(2) registered to the same individual to whom the special plates were originally issued.
2.13 		Subd. 4.Exemption. Special plates issued under this section are not subject to section 
2.14 	168.1293, subdivision 2.
2.15 		Subd. 5.Contribution and fees. Contributions collected under subdivision 1, paragraph 
2.16 	(a), clause (4), must be paid, as applicable, to: (1) the commissioner and credited to the 
2.17 	Board of Water and Soil Resources pollinator account established in section 103B.101, 
2.18 	subdivision 19; and (2) the commissioner of agriculture and credited to the pollinator research 
2.19 	account in the agricultural fund established in section 18B.051. The other fees collected 
2.20 	under this section must be deposited in the driver and vehicle services operating account 
2.21 	under section 299A.705.

2.22 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective January 1, 2026, for solar pollinator 
2.23 	program special plates issued on or after that date.

2.24 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 216B.1642, is amended by adding a subdivision 
2.25 	to read:
2.26 		Subd. 3.Agrivoltaics site management. (a)  An owner of a solar site implementing solar 
2.27 	site management practices under this section may claim the site is an agrivoltaics site if the 
2.28 	site is directly integrated with agricultural activities or conservation practices, including:
2.29 	(1) crop production;
2.30 	(2) rotational or conservation grazing;
2.31 	(3) providing perennial vegetation for pollinator habitat and soil and water benefits under 
2.32 	subdivision 2;
3.1 	(4) production of agricultural commodities for sale in the retail or wholesale market; or
3.2 	(5) any of the above practices together with other activities under this section to produce 
3.3 	soil and water benefits.
3.4 	(b) An owner making an agrivoltaics claim under this section must also provide the site's 
3.5 	agrivoltaics management plan and management practices report for agency feedback in the 
3.6 	manner described in subdivision 2.

3.7 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.