Relates to residential solar and energy storage permitting

Added a condition that authorities must have a residential automated solar permitting platform available with no initial or subscription fees before they are required to adopt one by June 30, 2026.

The bill was amended and re-referred to the Committee on Energy for further consideration, indicating it is still in the legislative process.

The deadline for adopting automated solar permitting platforms was accelerated from January 1, 2027, to June 30, 2026.

The requirement to adopt automated platforms now applies to any authority with jurisdiction over populations exceeding 5,000, rather than strictly municipalities with 5,000 or more residents.

New requirements mandate that automated platforms must be capable of instantly processing at least 75% of residential solar applications for existing construction.

Authorities must submit compliance reports to the state department within 60 days of achieving compliance, detailing their software and instant permit issuance capabilities.

Annual usage reports must be submitted between 2027 and 2036, including data on permit counts and plans to increase platform usage if the 75% threshold is not met.

Authorities must offer remote video or photo inspections at no greater cost or delay than in-person inspections for projects permitted via the automated platform.

The state department is granted authority to verify report accuracy, publish findings publicly, and impose penalties for non-compliance.

Authorities that do not require permits for residential solar systems are now explicitly exempt from these new requirements.