Streamlined Solar Permitting And Inspection Grants

The bill creates the streamlined solar permitting and inspection grant program (program). The program will grant money to local governments to implement free automated permitting and inspection software. To support the implementation of free automated permitting and inspection software by local governments, the state treasurer will transfer one million dollars from the general fund to the program in fiscal year 2022-23. bill appropriates $992,709 in fiscal year 2023-24 from the general fund. The money is continuously annually appropriated.

The bill requires the Colorado energy office (office) to administer the program by developing procedures to award money to applicants, establishing a process for applicants to apply for money, requiring applicants to demonstrate expected costs to implement the automated permitting and inspection software, and beginning to approve applicants no later than June 30, 2024. A grantee must is encouraged to implement the free automated permitting software within 180 days of receipt of grant money. Grantees are required to report to the office the implementation status of the free automated permitting software one year after being granted the money, and are encouraged to voluntarily report the same information each year thereafter for 4 years. The office is required to report to the house of representatives energy and environment committee, the senate transportation committee, and the joint budget committee the progress of the grant program yearly beginning on January 1, 2025, and continuing until the repeal of the program on July 1, 2034.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)