SB 282: Residential heat pump systems: water heaters and HVAC: installations.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

(1)Existing law establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and prescribes the authorities, duties, and responsibilities of the commission pertaining to energy matters. Existing law requires the commission, on or before January 1, 2019, in consultation with the Contractors State License Board, local building officials, and other stakeholders, to approve a plan that promotes compliance with specified regulations relating to building energy efficiency standards in the installation of central air-conditioning and heat pumps, as specified. Existing law authorizes the commission to adopt regulations to increase compliance with permitting and inspection requirements for central air-conditioning and heat pumps, and associated sales and installations, consistent with the above-described plan.

The bill would require a city, county, or city and county to adopt and offer asynchronous inspections for installations of residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC systems, as defined, that do not require a licensed contractor and building inspector to be simultaneously present during the inspection. The bill would authorize a building inspector to contact the licensed contractor who performed the installation by telephone call or real-time video conferencing during their inspection, and, if the building inspector determines during an asynchronous inspection that there is an issue with an installation of the heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system and that the licensed contractor who performed the installation must be present to perform tests or cure the installation, to require the licensed contractor who performed the installation to schedule an additional inspection in which the building inspector and the licensed contractor who performed the installation are required to be simultaneously present during the additional inspection. The bill would specify that these provisions do not require a local entity described above to discontinue offering inspections for the installation of a residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system that require a building inspector and licensed contractor to be simultaneously present.

The bill would authorize a city, county, or city and county, except as specified, to issue up to one nondiscretionary permit per installation of a residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system in which the local entity administratively approves an application to install the residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system.

The bill would authorize a city, county, or city and county to apply only certain additional building, planning or zoning, or workforce labor standards on the installation of a residential heat pump water heater or residential heat pump HVAC system, including additional standards that conform to local laws, including reach codes, designed to encourage the adoption of zero-emission equipment or improvement of building efficiency. The bill would prohibit a local entity described above from requiring a permit or inspection for plug-in ready window air-conditioner or window heat pump HVAC systems, provided that certain requirements are met, including that the appliance has a voltage rating of 120 volts or less and the appliance is a self-contained unit.

The bill would require the commission, on or before July 1, 2026, to develop standardized permitting checklists, as prescribed, for local governments to use in the permitting process for installations of residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC systems, as specified, subject to certain requirements, including that the standardized permitting checklists do not exceed 2 pages in length. The bill would require a city, county, or city and county, on or before July 1, 2027, to implement an online automated permitting process that verifies code compliance and issues permits in real time within the same day of the application being submitted to a licensed contractor for the installation of a residential heat pump water heater or residential heat pump HVAC system. The bill would require a permit to be issued pursuant to the automated permitting process, upon discretion of the administering jurisdiction, if the installation complies with the checklist requirements. The bill would require the local entity to publish and make publicly available, among other things, checklists on their internet website. The bill would require the local entity to allow an applicant to, among other things, submit an automated permit application and associated documentation electronically. The bill would, upon confirmation by the local entity that the application and supporting documents are complete and meet the checklist requirements, require the local entity to approve the application and issue all required permits or authorizations. The bill would, upon receipt of an incomplete application, require the local entity to issue a written correction notice, as specified. The bill would exempt from these requirements a city with a population of fewer than 5,000 persons or a county with a population of fewer than 150,000 persons, as specified.

The bill would, except as provided, prohibit a city, county, or city and county from charging a permit fee for a residential heat pump water heater and heat pump HVAC system that exceeds the estimated reasonable cost of providing the service for which the fee is charged, subject to specified requirements, including that the permit fee for a residential heat pump water heater system does not exceed $50. The bill would, notwithstanding that provision, authorize a local entity described above to charge a permit fee for the installation of a residential heat pump water heater or heat pump HVAC system that exceeds the above-described fee limit, as specified, if the local entity, as part of a written finding and an adopted resolution or ordinance, provides substantial evidence of the reasonable cost to issue the permit, and would prohibit a local entity described above from applying additional charges above the advertised fee schedule.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 4

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. February 2, 2026Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2. May 23, 2025May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
3. May 16, 2025Set for hearing May 23.
4. May 12, 2025May 12 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
5. May 2, 2025Set for hearing May 12.
6. April 29, 2025Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
7. April 28, 2025From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 871.) (April 23).
8. April 21, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
9. April 8, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L. GOV. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 681.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on L. GOV.
10. April 4, 2025Set for hearing April 23 in L. GOV. pending receipt.
11. March 24, 2025Set for hearing April 7.
12. March 17, 2025From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on E., U & C.