The proposed bill, Substitute Bill No. 5475, mandates the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to conduct assessments and report on various methods to enhance the permitting processes for both general and individual permits by January 1, 2027. The assessments will explore the use of artificial intelligence for preliminary application reviews, the feasibility of expedited review processes with increased fees for certain permits, and the potential for automating and reducing fees for permit renewals when no changes are made to the original application. The bill emphasizes identifying specific permits suitable for expedited processing and any necessary statutory changes to implement these improvements.

Additionally, the Commissioner is required to submit a comprehensive report to the relevant joint standing committees of the General Assembly, detailing the findings from the assessments and any legislative recommendations. The bill introduces new legal language to facilitate these processes and does not delete any existing legal language. The overall goal is to streamline the permitting process, making it more efficient and cost-effective for businesses and municipalities.