Senate Bill 605 Summary

• Modifies voluntary agricultural district requirements to clarify that districts are established upon execution of conservation agreements and expands the agricultural advisory board's authority to execute enrollment agreements with landowners.

• Allows magistrates to accept written waivers of trial and guilty pleas for state forest rule violations effective December 1, 2021, and exempts cooking, warming, and ceremonial fires from open burning restrictions if properly contained or monitored.

• Increases penalties for timber larceny from misdemeanor to Class G felony with treble damages (three times value) and requires timber buyers to provide wood load tickets to sellers within 30 days of harvest completion.

• Creates a new general permit allowing farms with farm digester systems (renewable energy systems using animal waste) to operate under simplified permitting with 90-day deemed approval for notice of intent applications.

• Expands Department of Agriculture enforcement authority to include timber larceny laws, increases Tobacco Trust Fund Commission administrative expenses cap from $350,000 to $375,000, and extends agricultural cost-share programs statewide.