BILL NUMBER: AB 2135	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 11, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 18, 2012
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 27, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Blumenfield
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Alejo, Fletcher, Solorio, Wieckowski,
and Williams)

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2012

   An act to add Section 18941.11 to the Health and Safety Code,
relating to building standards.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2135, as amended, Blumenfield. Building standards: solar
distributed generation technology on residential and commercial
property.
   The California Building Standards Law provides for the adoption of
building standards by state agencies by requiring all state agencies
that adopt or propose adoption of any building standard to submit
the building standard to the California Building Standards Commission
for approval and adoption. In the absence of a designated state
agency, the commission is required to adopt specific building
standards, as prescribed. Existing law requires the commission to
publish, or cause to be published, editions of the code in its
entirety once every 3 years. The commission is authorized to act
through a procedure for emergency standards, as defined, upon a
finding of an emergency.
   This bill would require the commission, the Department of Housing
and Community Development, and the State Fire Marshal to cooperate in
developing a  model ordinance and guidelines  
guidebook  to assist local agencies  to develop
  in implementing  building standards and
permitting processes for solar distributed generation technology on
residential and commercial property and post the  model
ordinance and guidelines   guidebook  on their
respective Internet Web sites.  The bill would provide that a
city, county, city and county, or charter city that adopts the
policies from the guidebook may receive a preference or priority
related to grant funds from the California Energy Commission or the
State Air   Resources Board, as specified. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) The state urgently needs to assist local jurisdictions in the
deployment of clean energy distributed generation technology.
   (b) The state can assist local jurisdictions in deploying this
technology by developing statewide building standards and
recommendations for the installation of basic solar equipment on
residential and commercial property.
   (c) Electricity generated from solar power can assist the state in
solving an array of environmental and economic problems related to
energy production, including, but not limited to, assisting the state
in reaching its environmental goals.
   (d) In recent years, the state has both encouraged the development
of innovative distributed generation technology and prioritized the
widespread adoption of solar power as a renewable energy resource.
   (e) To assist local jurisdictions and reach state environmental
goals, it is imperative that the California Building Standards Code
addresses technological advances through appropriate building
standards  and permitting policies for the
installation of solar distributed generation technology and that
local jurisdictions receive guidance on how to apply those standards
and policies to ensure safe, reasonable, and consistent code
enforcement.
   (f) A streamlined, consistent process for installations of solar
distributed generation technology on residential and commercial
property will eliminate unnecessary waste and variability across
jurisdictions, reduce the cost of solar power, increase the
deployment of solar distributed generation technology, provide solar
customers with greater installation ease, and generate much needed
jobs in the state, all while maintaining safety standards.
  SEC. 2.  Section 18941.11 is added to the Health and Safety Code,
to read:
   18941.11.   (a)    The commission and the
Department of Housing and Community Development, in cooperation with
the State Fire Marshal, shall develop a  model ordinance and
guidelines that   guidebook to  assist local
agencies  to develop   in  
implementing  building standards and permitting processes for
solar distributed generation technology on residential and commercial
property. The commission, the Department of Housing and Community
Development, and the State Fire Marshal shall post the  model
ordinance and guidelines   guidebook  on their
respective Internet Web sites. 
   (b) A city, county, city and county, or charter city that adopts
the policies from the guidebook developed pursuant to subdivision (a)
may receive a preference or priority related to grant funds from the
California Energy Commission or the State Air Resources Board for
the purposes of energy or climate project planning or implementation.