This bill establishes the State Smart Solar Permitting Platform, which will be managed by the Commissioner of Community Affairs in New Jersey. The platform aims to streamline the approval process for residential solar energy system installations by automating plan reviews, ensuring compliance with codes, and facilitating the instant release of permits for solar energy systems and related upgrades. Local enforcing agencies are required to either use this state platform or implement a comparable automated system within designated timeframes. The bill also includes compliance reporting requirements for agencies that opt for alternative platforms, with penalties imposed by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) for non-compliance, directing funds to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that the DCA impose penalties on local enforcing agencies that do not allow applications for residential solar energy systems through the State Smart Solar Permitting Platform or an equivalent system. The DCA is also empowered to condition or deny funding to local units that fail to comply with the bill's requirements. To support the implementation of the platform, the DCA will provide training for local agency employees and may introduce solar permit surcharge fees, which local agencies must collect and remit to the DCA to help cover the platform's development and administration costs.