HB 1328
In CommitteeHouse
Clean energy development
Accelerating the development of clean energy and transmission.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill establishes a new Clean Energy Development Office in the Department of Commerce to accelerate clean energy and transmission project development by providing information, planning support, and technical assistance. It aims to help meet the state’s climate goals, create jobs, and ensure equitable benefits for communities and tribes, while addressing barriers like information gaps and local permitting uncertainty.
- Creates a new Clean Energy Development Office within the Department of Commerce to coordinate and support clean energy and transmission project development.
- Requires the office to develop publicly available geospatial tools and data to help identify suitable locations for clean energy and transmission projects.
- Mandates the office to support tribes, local governments, and communities through technical assistance, templates for community benefits agreements, and dispute resolution services.
- Directs the office to study and report by July 1, 2026 on best practices for siting large-scale battery energy storage systems and the feasibility of a build-ready clean energy program.
- Expands the Department of Commerce’s existing role under the Growth Management Act to include supporting clean energy siting, including agrivoltaics (solar on farmland) and dual-use technologies.
Who is affected
- Tribes and tribal enterprises — Will benefit from improved access to information, planning support, and technical assistance to help develop clean energy projects on tribal lands or through tribal enterprises, and will receive support to ensure tribal rights, cultural resources, and benefits are respected and included.
- Local governments (cities and counties) — Will receive support to integrate clean energy projects (like solar on farmland) into local zoning and planning, and access to tools, templates, and dispute resolution to help navigate siting and permitting.
- Communities hosting clean energy projects — Will gain clearer information about clean energy technologies, siting options, and benefits, and may benefit from community benefits agreements that ensure local economic and workforce opportunities.
- Workers and job seekers in clean energy sectors — May see new job and training opportunities in clean energy sectors, especially through coordination with workforce training programs and support for overburdened communities and vulnerable populations.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
The office is required to provide liaison support, technical assistance, and help accessing federal/state funding to tribes and tribally owned enterprises, strengthening tribal sovereignty and self-determination in clean energy development.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 4(1)(f)The bill mandates collaboration with workforce training agencies to expand clean energy career pathways—especially for overburdened communities—potentially increasing access to high-paying jobs for historically excluded populations.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 4(1)(i) and (j)The office must develop guidance, templates, and policy menus for local governments on emerging technologies like agrivoltaics—reducing local regulatory uncertainty and lowering barriers to adoption for small jurisdictions.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 4(1)(c) and (e)The office is directed to provide public information on clean energy technologies—including safety, emergency response, and environmental impacts—helping communities make informed decisions and reducing misinformation risks.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 4(1)(b)The bill requires a feasibility study on a “build-ready clean energy program” to accelerate use of underutilized land—potentially unlocking new development opportunities and local tax revenue, especially in rural areas.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 5(1)(b)
Potential Concerns (5)
The office is directed to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of state and local tax provisions related to clean energy development, but the bill does not mandate any specific tax changes—only analysis—so no direct fiscal impact on taxpayers is guaranteed.
FinancialRef: Sec. 4(1)(k)The bill requires local governments to engage with a state-convened work group on battery energy storage siting, which may increase administrative burden without guaranteed state funding for participation.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 5(1)(a)While the office develops templates for community benefits agreements (CBAs), it does not mandate their use or enforceability—developers remain free to negotiate or ignore them, limiting their real-world impact on labor or community outcomes.
Business & EmploymentLean peopleRef: Sec. 4(1)(h) and (g)The bill authorizes collaboration with the Office of Economic Development and competitiveness on project recruitment, but this function is largely supportive and informational—no new incentives, subsidies, or regulatory changes are created to directly boost business competitiveness.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 4(1)(c)The bill identifies transmission constraints and proposes solutions, but does not allocate dedicated funding or authority to build new transmission lines—delays in siting and permitting could persist without additional legislative action.
TransportationLean peopleRef: Sec. 4(1)(l)(ii) and (iii)
Who Is Most Affected
Tribes gain formalized support for self-determined clean energy development, including technical assistance, funding access, and dispute resolution—strengthening tribal sovereignty and economic self-sufficiency.
Local governments receive tools, templates, and dispute resolution to streamline siting and reduce legal uncertainty—though participation in work groups and implementation may strain small-staffed jurisdictions without additional funding.
Workers in overburdened communities stand to benefit from targeted workforce development and job placement support, but outcomes depend on follow-up funding and program implementation—not guaranteed by this bill alone.
Agrivoltaics and dual-use developers gain clearer regulatory pathways and state support, but the lack of mandatory CBA enforcement means benefits to landowners depend on local negotiation—not systemic change.
Electric consumers may benefit from long-term grid reliability and cost stability, but the bill does not directly cap electricity prices or mandate affordability measures—benefits are indirect and delayed.