House Bill 25-1096

BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Smith and Brown, Bacon, Boesenecker, Froelich, Rutinel, Titone, Valdez;

also SENATOR(S) Ball and Kipp, Bridges, Cutter, Gonzales J., Michaelson Jenet, Wallace.

Concerning automated permitting for residential clean energy technology projects.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-38.5-119, amend (2)(b), (3)(b), (3)(c), and (4) as follows:

24-38.5-119.  Streamlined solar permitting and inspection grant program - creation - eligibility - fund created - gifts, grants, or donations - reporting - legislative declaration - definitions - repeal. (2)  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(b)  "Automated permitting and inspection software" or "automated permitting software" means a web-based portal that implements automated plan review, verifies local code compliance, and issues permits for electric power systems that is developed by a national organization focused on clean energy research, development, and deployment in collaboration with building and safety industry experts.

(3)  The grant program is created to allow an authority having jurisdiction to apply to the office for a grant to help provide implementation support to the authority having jurisdiction for implementation of automated permitting software. In administering the grant program, the office shall:

(b)  Develop procedures to award a grant to an authority having jurisdiction for expenses expected to be incurred in adopting automated permitting software, including necessary expenses for staff time, information technology, training, installation, third-party consulting, ongoing maintenance for up to three years after the grantee implements the automated permitting software, and hardware or equipment;

(c)  Not award money to an authority having jurisdiction for:

(I)  Expected costs associated with software other than automated permitting software;

(II)  Activities occurring before being awarded grant program money; or more than one hundred eighty days after receiving grant program money,

(III)  Food andor beverage costs;

(IV)  Fines or penalties;

(V)  Advertising; or

(VI)  Permit processing fees, including fees charged by the operator of automated permitting software;

(4) (a)  The office may use up to nine percent of the money in the fund to coverpay for the direct and indirect costs that the office incurs in administering the grant program.

(b)  The office may use up to nine percent of the money remaining in the fund as of September 1, 2025, to pay for the direct and indirect costs that the office incurs in administering the grant program.

SECTION 2.  Act subject to petition - effective date. This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.