Enrolled  September 08, 2022
Passed  IN  Senate  August 31, 2022
Passed  IN  Assembly  August 30, 2022
Amended  IN  Assembly  August 23, 2022
Amended  IN  Assembly  August 15, 2022
Amended  IN  Assembly  June 30, 2022
Amended  IN  Assembly  June 14, 2022
Amended  IN  Senate  May 19, 2022

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 1482

Introduced by Senator Allen
(Coauthors: Senators Becker, Hertzberg, Laird, Limón, and Wieckowski)
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Kalra)

February 18, 2022

An act to add Section 18941.13 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to building standards.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 1482, Allen. Building standards: electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, establishes the California Building Standards Commission within the Department of General Services. Existing law requires the commission to approve and adopt building standards and to codify those standards in the California Building Standards Code. Existing law requires the commission to adopt, approve, codify, and publish mandatory building standards for the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure for parking spaces in multifamily dwellings and nonresidential development. Existing law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to propose mandatory building standards for the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure for parking spaces in multifamily dwellings and submit the proposed mandatory building standards to the commission for consideration. Existing law requires the department and the commission, in proposing and adopting these standards, to actively consult with specified parties.
This bill, for purposes of the requirements described above, would require the Department of Housing and Community Development to research and develop, and would authorize the department to propose to the commission for adoption, mandatory building standards for parking spaces in multifamily dwellings that achieve specified objectives. In this regard, the bill would require those mandatory building standards to require that each multifamily dwelling unit with access to parking have at least one parking space served by a dedicated branch circuit terminating in a receptacle or an electric vehicle charging station and to include specified signage. The bill would additionally require the commission and the department to consult with interested parties, including multifamily dwelling residents and electric vehicle equity advocate groups, in researching and developing these standards.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 It is the intent of the Legislature in adopting Section 18941.13 of the Health and Safety Code to ensure that residents in newly constructed multifamily housing have equitable access to at-home electric vehicle charging infrastructure comparable to the charging access that has been provided by the California Green Building Standards (CALGreen) Code (Part 11 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations) for single family residents since 2015. Comparable and equitable access for multifamily residents means an electric-vehicle-ready circuit or an electric vehicle charging station, but does not mean electric vehicle capable due to the significant barriers to rewire a multifamily dwelling to connect a breaker and conduit. Comparable and equitable access also includes, but is not limited to, access to the same or lowest cost local electricity rates for vehicle charging that do not exceed the lowest rates available to single-family residents.

SEC. 2.

 Section 18941.13 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:

18941.13.
 (a) For purposes of Section 18941.10, the Department of Housing and Community Development shall research and develop, and may propose for adoption by the commission, mandatory building standards for parking spaces in multifamily dwellings. The standards may include possible limited exceptions for circumstances that would cause an unreasonable hardship. The mandatory building standards researched and developed pursuant to this section shall achieve both of the following:
(1) For each multifamily dwelling unit with access to parking, at least one parking space served by a dedicated branch circuit terminating in an electric vehicle receptacle or an electric vehicle charging station.
(2) Prominent “EV Ready” signage at each parking space equipped with an electric vehicle receptacle or other electric vehicle charging infrastructure and at the unit electrical panel.
(b) In researching and developing mandatory building standards pursuant to this section, the Department of Housing and Community Development and the commission shall actively consult with interested parties, including, but not limited to, investor-owned utilities, manufacturers, municipal utilities, local building officials, commercial building and apartment owners, the building industry, multifamily dwelling residents, and electric vehicle equity advocate groups.
(c) For purposes of this section, “electric vehicle charging station” means the same as that term is defined in the California Green Building Standards Code (Part 11 of Title 24 of the California Code of Regulations).