HB 646: Create the Data Center Study Commission

The Data Center Study Commission is created within the Department of Development to examine the impact of data centers on the state. The commission consists of 15 members, including representatives from the governor, speaker of the house, and president of the senate, as well as experts in various fields such as data center operations, agriculture, and rural electric cooperatives. The commission will hold four public meetings to hear testimony from experts and the public, and will examine topics including environmental impact, electrical grid effects, water usage, noise pollution, light pollution, and local economic and agricultural impacts. The commission will submit a report to the governor and the general assembly within six months, including nonbinding best practices and considerations for local decision-making bodies. The commission will terminate after issuing the report.