HB 25-1096: Automated Permits for Clean Energy Technology - Colorado

Rerevised (04/28/2025) → Revised (04/25/2025) · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was revised to reflect amendments adopted on second reading in the Senate, updating the document header and sponsor list. A new section was added regarding fund usage, allowing the office to use up to nine percent of remaining funds as of September 1, 2025, for direct and indirect costs related to administering a grant program.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include specific provisions for fund administration costs, clarifying how the office may utilize funds from the grant program.

FISCAL

Added provision allowing the office to use up to nine percent of the fund balance as of September 1, 2025, to cover direct and indirect costs for administering the grant program.

TECHNICAL

Updated document header to reflect 'Revised' status with amendments adopted on second reading in the Second House, and adjusted Senate sponsor list formatting.

PA2 (03/24/2025) → Rerevised (04/28/2025) · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was re-revised to include all amendments adopted in the Second House, updating the bill status from 'PREAMENDED' to 'REREVISED' and adding co-sponsors and committee assignments. The substantive policy content regarding automated solar permitting remains unchanged, with the primary modifications being procedural updates to reflect legislative progress.

Scope change

No substantive changes to the bill's scope or applicability; changes are primarily procedural and formatting updates reflecting legislative status.

TECHNICAL

Bill status updated from 'PREAMENDED' to 'REREVISED' to indicate all amendments have been adopted in the Second House.

Additional co-sponsors (Bacon, Boesenecker, Froelich, Rutinel, Titone, Valdez for House; Kipp, Bridges, Cutter, Gonzales J., Michaelson Jenet, Wallace for Senate) were added to the bill sponsorship list.

Committee assignments updated to include Senate Transportation & Energy committee alongside existing Energy & Environment and Finance committees.

Deletion of draft text and placeholder formatting related to bill summary availability dates and reading statuses.

PA1 (02/21/2025) → PA2 (03/24/2025) · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly shortened and simplified, removing detailed requirements for automated solar permitting platforms, funding mechanisms, and reporting obligations. The original version mandated counties and municipalities over 5,000 residents to adopt automated permitting systems, required 75% usage rates, and established grant programs for implementation. The revised version appears to be a placeholder or incomplete draft, retaining only the title and a brief legislative declaration about greenhouse gas goals.

Scope change

The bill's scope was substantially reduced from a comprehensive automated permitting mandate to a minimal legislative declaration. The requirement for counties and municipalities to implement automated platforms was removed entirely.

REQUIREMENT

Mandatory requirement for counties and municipalities with over 5,000 residents to adopt automated residential solar permitting platforms was deleted.

FISCAL

Grant program provisions for funding and technical assistance to help jurisdictions implement automated permitting software were removed.

DEFINITION

Detailed definitions of 'automated permitting software' and 'platform' were deleted, replacing them with a brief reference to web-based portals.

REPORTING

Annual reporting requirements for the Colorado Energy Office and state electrical board regarding platform usage and compliance were eliminated.

TECHNICAL

Specific technical requirements including 75% platform usage mandates, 200-ampere capacity limits, and eligibility criteria for single-family and 2-family properties were removed.

Final Act (05/13/2025) → PA1 (02/21/2025) · 8 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly rewritten from a grant program for jurisdictions to voluntarily adopt automated solar permitting software into a mandate requiring specific jurisdictions and the state Electrical Board to implement a specific automated platform. The new version adds detailed definitions, sets specific population thresholds for mandatory adoption, and requires annual reporting.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a voluntary grant program for any jurisdiction to a mandatory requirement for counties and municipalities over 5,000 residents in unincorporated areas, municipalities over 5,000 residents, and the State Electrical Board to implement an automated platform.

REQUIREMENT

Added mandatory requirement for counties and municipalities with populations over 5,000 residents to implement an automated residential solar permitting platform.

Added requirement that the State Electrical Board must implement an automated platform for reviewing residential solar permits.

Added requirement that the platform must be used for at least 75% of residential solar permit applications submitted to the local jurisdiction.

Added requirement for annual reporting to the Colorado Energy Office regarding platform use and software type.

DEFINITION

Added detailed definition of 'Automated Residential Solar Permitting Platform' specifying it must accept applications, automatically produce code-compliant approvals, accept fee payments, and issue permits.

TECHNICAL

Added legislative declaration explaining the need for reform due to Colorado having the third slowest solar permitting timelines in the western United States and high costs associated with bureaucratic barriers.

FISCAL

Removed detailed grant program provisions that allowed authorities to apply for funding to implement automated permitting software, replacing it with a mandate to implement.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed eligibility from any authority having jurisdiction to specific population thresholds (5,000+ residents) for counties and municipalities.

Signed Act (05/28/2025) → Final Act (05/13/2025) · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill was finalized and prepared for Governor signature, with minor text corrections to definitions and grant program descriptions. The substantive policy content regarding automated permitting software grants remains unchanged from the signed version.

TECHNICAL

Corrected a typo in section (3) changing 'so ftvk are' to 'software' for clarity in the grant program description.

Corrected a typo in section (3)(II) changing 'giant program moiler' to 'grant program money' in the disallowed cost list.

Added signature line placeholders for Governor and legislative officers to finalize the bill for official signing.

Reformatted the bill header and sponsor information to match standard final act formatting conventions.

Reengrossed (03/31/2025) → Signed Act (05/28/2025) · 4 edits · May 28, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand its scope from just solar permitting to include other residential clean energy projects like EV charging stations and heat pumps. The language was also cleaned up to fix typos and formatting issues from the original draft.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly includes electric vehicle charging stations and heat pump space heaters in addition to residential solar panel installations, broadening the program's applicability.

SCOPE

Expanded the definition of eligible projects to include electric vehicle charging stations and heat pump space heaters beyond just solar panels.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of automated permitting software to clarify it covers electric power systems in general, not just solar.

TECHNICAL

Fixed several typos and formatting errors in the grant program eligibility restrictions, including correcting 'giant program moiler' to 'grant program money' and 'covcr PAY FOR' to 'cover PAY FOR'.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement that the state electrical board must implement its own automated platform, reducing the scope of mandatory implementation.

Engrossed (03/27/2025) → Reengrossed (03/31/2025) · 3 edits · Apr 28, 2025

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed to add new co-sponsors to the House, update the bill summary note to reflect that a reengrossed version summary will be available after third reading, and remove the petition clause that would have delayed the effective date pending a potential referendum.

Scope change

No substantive policy scope changes; the bill remains applicable to counties with populations over 5,000 as previously stated.

TECHNICAL

Added five new House co-sponsors: Bacon, Boesenecker, Froelich, Rutinel, and Titone.

Updated the bill summary note to indicate that a summary for the reengrossed version will be available after third reading in the House of Introduction.

TIMELINE

Removed Section 2, which previously stated that the act would take effect 90 days after final adjournment unless a referendum petition was filed within that period.

Introduced (01/27/2025) → Engrossed (03/27/2025) · 5 edits · Apr 28, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to remove the requirement for counties and municipalities to implement an automated solar permitting platform, replacing it with a grant program that provides funding and technical assistance for jurisdictions to adopt such software. The bill also updated the legislative declaration to focus on reducing permitting barriers and added specific grant eligibility criteria and administrative cost limits.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from mandating automated permitting platforms to providing optional funding and support for jurisdictions to voluntarily adopt them.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement that counties and municipalities with over 5,000 residents must implement an automated residential solar permitting platform.

Added restrictions on grant funding, prohibiting use for certain costs like permit processing fees, fines, or advertising.

FISCAL

Added a grant program to provide funding and technical assistance to jurisdictions for implementing automated permitting software.

DEFINITION

Changed the definition of automated permitting software to specify it must be developed by a national clean energy organization in collaboration with industry experts.

TECHNICAL

Added a 180-day limit on when grant money can be used after receiving the award.

Automated Permits for Clean Energy Technology

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