AB 2559: Local planning: electric vehicle service equipment: permitting delays.

Existing law creates the Governors Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) and requires GO-Biz to serve the Governor as the lead entity for economic strategy and the marketing of California on issues relating to business development, private sector investment, and economic growth. Existing law requires every city, county, and city and county to administratively approve an application to install electric vehicle charging stations through the issuance of a building permit or similar nondiscretionary permit and requires the review of an application to install an electric vehicle charging station to be limited to the building officials review of whether it meets all health and safety requirements of local, state, and federal law. Existing law requires an electric vehicle charging station to comply with, among other things, all applicable rules of the Public Utilities Commission regarding safety and reliability, as specified.

This bill would require GO-Biz to create and maintain a publicly accessible internet website that contains a landing page with functionality to collect information and report delays and denials in the regarding all applicable forms of permitting of electric for zero-emission vehicle service equipment, infrastructure, as specified. The bill would prohibit GO-Biz from publicly displaying any submissions received under these provisions. The bill would require GO-Biz to establish a in a new or existing working group group, as specified, to evaluate the data it receives from the internet website and direct the working group to determine recommended solutions to address permitting delays. The bill would require, on or before January 1, 2026, GO-Biz to submit to the Legislature and publish on its internet website a comprehensive report regarding the challenges identified throughout the data collection process, as specified. The bill would also require GO-Biz to establish a permit streamlining specialist to assist authorities having jurisdiction with permit delays and denials related to these provisions.