California state lawmakers have advanced a bill aimed at easing the conversion of agricultural land into solar farms, after Assemblymember Buffy Wicks amended AB 1156 to address the concerns of rural counties and farming communities. Key changes to the bill—including removing the California Energy Commission’s oversight and giving local governments the authority to opt out of solar easements—were made to secure support from the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), which had previously opposed the bill. These adjustments are seen as a necessary step to ensure that rural counties maintain control over their land use decisions while balancing renewable energy goals.
