,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bddg  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,septemb] #i1 #bjai    
,mr4 ,he9ri* 7= himself & ,ms4 ,coll9s7 
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy
 & ,natural ,res\rces  ,a ,,bill  ,to   
require ! ,secret>y ( ,en]gy to e/abli% 
or designate ! ,di/ribut$ ,en]gy        
,opportunity ,bo>d to c>ry out a program
 to facilitate a volunt>y /reaml9$      
process = local p]mitt+ ( di/ribut$     
r5ewable en]gy1 en]gy /orage1 & electric
 vehicle *>g+ sy/ems1 & = o!r purposes4 
#a4 ,%ort title  ,?is ,act may be cit$ z
 ! ,am]ican ,en]gy ,opportunity ,act (  
#bjai4  #b4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3    
7#a7 ,au?ority hav+ jurisdiction ,! t]m 
au?ority hav+ jurisdiction means any    
,/ate1 c\nty1 local1 or ,tribal (fice or
 (ficial ) jurisdiction--  7,a7 to issue
 p]mits2  7,b7 to conduct inspections to
 en=ce ! requirem5ts ( a relevant code  
or /&>d2 or  7,c7 to approve !          
in/allation (1 or ! equipm5t & mat]ials 

us$ 9 ! in/allation (1 qualify+         
di/ribut$ en]gy sy/ems4  7#b7 ,bo>d ,!  
t]m ,bo>d means ! ,di/ribut$ ,en]gy     
,opportunity ,bo>d e/abli%$ or designat$
 "u section #c7;a74  7#c7 ,di/ribut$    
en]gy sy/em in/all] ,! t]m di/ribut$    
en]gy sy/em in/all] means an entity or  
individual--  7,a7 ) k & skills relat+  
to-- 7i7 ! con/ruction & op]ation ( !   
equipm5t us$ 9 qualify+ di/ribut$ en]gy 
sy/ems2 &  7ii7 ! in/allation ( qualify+
 di/ribut$ en]gy sy/ems2 &  7,b7 t has  
employ$ safety tra9+ to recognize &     
avoid ! haz>ds involv$ 9 con/ruct+1     
op]at+1 & in/all+ qualify+ di/ribut$    
en]gy sy/ems4  7#d7 ,qualify+ di/ribut$ 
en]gy sy/em ,! t]m qualify+ di/ribut$   
en]gy sy/em means any equipm5t or       
mat]ials in/all$ 91 on1 or ne> a        
resid5tial1 comm]cial1 or indu/rial     
build+ to support onsite or local en]gy 
use1 includ+--  7,a7 to g5]ate          
electricity f di/ribut$ r5ewable en]gy  
s\rces1 includ+ f-- 7i7 sol>            
photovoltaic modules or simil> sol>     

en]gy te*nologies2 &  7ii7 w9d p[]      
sy/ems2  7,b7 to /ore & dis*>ge         
electricity f batt]ies ) a capacity ( at
 lea/ #b kil[att h\rs2  7,c7 to *>ge a  
plug-9 electric drive vehicle at a p[]  
rate ( at lea/ #b kil[atts2 or  7,d7 to 
refuel a fuel cell electric vehicle4    
7#e7 ,secret>y ,! t]m ,secret>y means ! 
,secret>y ( ,en]gy4  #c4 ,e/abli%m5t or 
designation ( ! ,di/ribut$ ,en]gy       
,opportunity ,bo>d  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat]
 ?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( 
?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y1 9 consultation ) 
trade associations & o!r entities       
repres5t+ di/ribut$ en]gy sy/em in/all]s
 & organizations repres5t+ ,/ate1 local1
 & ,tribal gov]nm5ts engag$ 9 p]mitt+1  
%all e/abli% or designate a nonpr(it    
corporation1 to be kn[n z ! ,di/ribut$  
,en]gy ,opportunity ,bo>d1 to c>ry out a
 volunt>y program to /reaml9e ! process 
= local p]mitt+ & inspection ( qualify+ 
di/ribut$ en]gy sy/ems4  7b7            
,composition ,! ,bo>d %all include      
repres5tatives f-- 7#a7 relevant ,f$]al 

ag5cies1 or organizations t repres5t ^? 
ag5cies2  7#b7 ,/ate1 local1 & ,tribal  
gov]nm5ts1 or organizations t repres5t  
^? gov]nm5ts2  7#c7 di/ribut$ en]gy     
g5]ation companies2  7#d7 batt]y /orage 
companies2  7#e7 associations t repres5t
 ! di/ribut$ en]gy g5]ation & batt]y    
/orage indu/ry2  7#f7 build+ code       
ag5cies & organizations1 includ+ a model
 en]gy code-sett+ organization2 &  7#g7 
o!r codes & /&>ds organizations4  7c7   
,purpose & activities ( ! ,bo>d  7#a7   
,purpose ,! purpose ( ! ,bo>d is to     
e/abli% a volunt>y program =            
facilitat+-- 7,a7 /reaml9$ p]mitt+      
processes ( qualify+ di/ribut$ en]gy    
sy/ems2 &  7,b7 c]tification ( di/ribut$
 en]gy sy/em in/all]s4  7#b7 ,activities
 ,! ,bo>d %all--  7,a7 develop & ma9ta9 
a /reaml9$ p]mitt+ process1 su* z a     
national onl9e p]mitt+ sy/em & te*nology
 plat=m = exp$it+1 /&>diz+1 & /reaml9+  
p]mitt+1 t au?orities hav+ jurisdiction 
may use1 at ! discretion ( ^?           
au?orities1 to receive1 review1 &       

approve p]mit applications relat+ to    
qualify+ di/ribut$ en]gy sy/ems2  7,b7  
e/abli% a model exp$it$ p]mit-to-build  
protocol = qualify+ di/ribut$ en]gy     
sy/ems2  7,c7 provide te*nical assi/ance
 to au?orities hav+ jurisdiction on us+ 
& adopt+--  7i7 ! /reaml9$ p]mitt+      
process describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,a72 &  
7ii7 ! model exp$it$ p]mit-to-build     
protocol describ$ 9 subp>agraph 7,b72   
7,d7 7i7 inve/igate ! developm5t (      
volunt>y national c]tifications =       
di/ribut$ en]gy sy/em in/all]s &        
qualify+ di/ribut$ en]gy sy/ems2 &  7ii7
 if ! ,bo>d det]m9es t ! national       
c]tifications w\ld exp$ite & /reaml9e ! 
p]mitt+ & inspection process1 develop ! 
volunt>y national c]tifications2  7,e7  
develop & ma9ta9 a volunt>y national    
inspection protocol integrat$ ) !       
national onl9e p]mitt+ sy/em describ$ 9 
subp>agraphs 7,a7 & 7,b7 & relat$ tools 
to exp$ite1 /&>dize1 & /reaml9e !       
inspection ( qualify+ di/ribut$ en]gy   
sy/ems1 includ+--  7i7 by inve/igat+ !  

pot5tial = us+ remote inspections2 &    
7ii7 by inve/igat+ ! pot5tial =         
sample-bas$ inspection = di/ribut$ en]gy
 sy/em in/all]s ) a demon/rat$ track    
record ( high-quality "w2 &  7,f7 take  
any o!r action to exp$ite1 /&>dize1     
/reaml9e1 or improve ! process =        
p]mitt+1 inspect+1 or int]connect+      
qualify+ di/ribut$ en]gy sy/ems4  7d7   
,fee au?ority ,! ,bo>d may assess fees =
 ! provision ( s]vices by ! ,bo>d 9     
am\nts det]m9$ reasonable & appropriate 
by ! ,bo>d1 includ+ fees f p>ticipat+   
di/ribut$ en]gy sy/em in/all]s relat+ to
 ! activities ( ! ,bo>d describ$ 9      
subsection 7c77#b74  7e7 ,nonpr(it /atus
 ,! ,bo>d %all be consid]$ to be an     
organization describ$ 9 section         
#eja7;c77#c7 ( ! ,int]nal ,rev5ue ,code 
( #aihf1 & exempt f taxation "u section 
#eja7;a7 ( t ,code4  7f7 ,support       
s]vices ,! ,secret>y %all-- 7#a7 provide
 te*nical assi/ance to ! ,bo>d 9 c>ry+  
out ! activities describ$ 9 subsection  
7c77#b72 &  7#b7 provide su* f9ancial   

assi/ance to ! ,bo>d z ! ,secret>y      
det]m9es to be appropriate f any funds  
appropriat$ to c>ry out ?is ,act4  #d4  
,di/ribut$ ,en]gy ,opportunity          
,communities  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y 
%all recognize & c]tify c]ta9           
communities z ,di/ribut$ ,en]gy         
,opportunity ,communities4  7b7         
,qualifications ,! ,secret>y may c]tify 
a ,/ate1 local community1 or ,tribe z a 
,di/ribut$ ,en]gy ,opportunity          
,community if t ,/ate1 local community1 
or ,tribe has adopt$ & implem5t$ ! model
 exp$it$ p]mit-to-build protocol        
e/abli%$ by ! ,bo>d4  7c7 ,process ,!   
,secret>y may conf] a c]tification "u   
subsection 7a7 ?r\gh exi/+ programs ( ! 
,dep>tm5t ( ,en]gy4  7d7 ,grants ,!     
,secret>y may aw>d competitive grants1  
us+ funds appropriat$ to ! ,secret>y to 
c>ry out ?is ,act1 to enc\rage          
communities to adopt ! model exp$it$    
p]mit-to-build protocol & /&>diz$       
inspection processes e/abli%$ by !      
,bo>d4  #e4 ,au?orization (             

appropriations ,!re is au?oriz$ to be   
appropriat$ to ! ,secret>y to c>ry out  
?is ,act #bj1jjj1jjj = ea* ( fiscal ye>s
 #bjai ?r\gh #bjbd4