Smart Solar Permitting Platform; established, residential solar energy systems.

Added a sunset provision requiring the act to be re-enacted by the 2027 Session to remain in effect.

Extended the deadline for launching the Smart Solar Permitting Platform from July 1, 2027, to July 1, 2028.

Mandated the creation of a work group to develop an implementation plan and report cost estimates and timelines to the General Assembly by November 1, 2026.

Required the Department to use the most cost-effective method to implement the platform, whether established internally or by a third party.

Removed the mandatory authority for the Department to place a surcharge on local fees; replaced it with a directive to form a work group to study the appropriateness of such a surcharge.

Deleted the specific instruction that the Department must consider cost-effectiveness when choosing between a third-party provider and internal development, as this was subsumed by the new requirement to study funding options.

Added a new requirement for the Department of Energy to convene a work group including local government and contractor representatives to determine if fee adjustments are necessary.

Added a new reporting deadline of November 1, 2026, for the work group to submit its findings to the General Assembly.

Added a new provision (Section F) allowing the Department of Energy to impose a surcharge on residential solar permitting fees collected by localities to defray the costs of developing and administering the Smart Solar Permitting Platform.

Removed the requirement for the Department to convene a work group to study the appropriateness of adding a surcharge to local fees, replacing the study phase with direct authority to implement the surcharge.

Removed the definition of 'Residential solar energy system' which previously included specific examples like batteries and main panel upgrades; the substitute version separates these items into a new definition for 'Solar energy system'.

Adjusted formatting and line breaks throughout the document to match the standard legislative substitute format used by the House Committee on Labor and Commerce.

The deadline for localities to implement the platform or an equivalent alternative was moved from January 1, 2028, to July 1, 2028.

The platform's purpose was limited to 'streamline-eligible' residential solar energy systems, and the list of covered equipment was updated to specify that panel upgrades and breaker derates must be related to the solar system.

New eligibility criteria were added, restricting the platform to systems with panels weighing 4 pounds per square foot or less, installed on permitted roofs, and connected to a 200-amp service disconnect.

The Department must now consult with the Department of Housing and Community Development, the building industry, and other stakeholders before establishing the platform.

A new provision was added to ensure the platform does not limit or affect interconnection requirements and approval processes managed by the State Corporation Commission.

The requirement for localities to submit annual compliance reports was expanded to include guidelines and forms developed by the Department.

The term 'residential' was changed to 'residence' in the definitions section.

Formatting and layout were changed to include page numbers, line numbers, and extra spacing, while the actual legal text and policy provisions were not altered.

The document structure was reorganized to include line numbers, page headers, and specific formatting markers used in legislative markup, replacing the original plain text header.