I 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6981 
To require the Secretary of Energy to further develop and support the 
adoption of a voluntary streamlined permitting and inspection process 
for authorities having jurisdiction over the permitting of qualifying dis-
tributed energy systems, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 8, 2026 
Ms. LEE of Nevada (for herself, Mr. CISCOMANI, Mr. TONKO, and Mr. 
LAWLER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Energy to further develop and 
support the adoption of a voluntary streamlined permit-
ting and inspection process for authorities having juris-
diction over the permitting of qualifying distributed en-
ergy systems, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Streamlining Home 
Installation of New Energies Act of 2026’’ or the ‘‘SHINE 
Act of 2026’’. 
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SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM TO FACILITATE 
VOLUNTARY STREAMLINED PROCESS FOR 
LOCAL PERMITTING OF QUALIFYING DIS-
TRIBUTED ENERGY SYSTEMS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) AUTHORITY
HAVING
JURISDICTION.—The 
term ‘‘authority having jurisdiction’’ means any 
State, county, local, or Tribal office or official with 
jurisdiction— 
(A) to issue permits relating to qualifying 
distributed energy systems; 
(B) to conduct inspections to enforce the 
requirements of a relevant code or standard re-
lating to qualifying distributed energy systems; 
or 
(C) to approve the installation of, or the 
equipment and materials used in the installa-
tion of, qualifying distributed energy systems. 
(2) QUALIFYING
DISTRIBUTED
ENERGY
SYS-
TEM.—The term ‘‘qualifying distributed energy sys-
tem’’ means any equipment or materials installed in, 
on, or near a residential building to support onsite 
or local energy use, including— 
(A) to generate electricity from distributed 
renewable energy sources, including from— 
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(i) solar photovoltaic systems or simi-
lar solar energy technologies; and 
(ii) wind power systems; 
(B) to store and discharge electricity from 
batteries with a capacity of at least 2 kilowatt 
hours; 
(C) to charge a plug-in electric drive vehi-
cle at a power rate of at least 2 kilowatts; or 
(D) to refuel a hydrogen fuel cell electric 
vehicle. 
(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Energy. 
(b) PROGRAM.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consulta-
tion with trade associations and other entities representing 
distributed energy system installers and organizations rep-
resenting State, local, and Tribal governments engaged in 
permitting, shall carry out a program to further develop, 
expand, and support the adoption of a voluntary stream-
lined permitting and inspection process for authorities 
having jurisdiction to use for the permitting of qualifying 
distributed energy systems. 
(c) ACTIVITIES OF THE PROGRAM.—In carrying out 
the program established under subsection (b), the Sec-
retary shall— 
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(1) further develop and expand an exemplary 
streamlined permitting process that includes an on-
line permitting platform— 
(A) for expediting, standardizing, and 
streamlining permitting; and 
(B) that authorities having jurisdiction 
may voluntarily use to receive, review, and ap-
prove permit applications relating to qualifying 
distributed energy systems; 
(2) establish targets for the adoption of a 
streamlined, expedited permitting process by au-
thorities having jurisdiction; 
(3) provide technical assistance and training di-
rectly or indirectly to authorities having jurisdiction 
on using and adopting the exemplary streamlined 
permitting process described in paragraph (1), in-
cluding the adoption of any necessary building codes; 
(4) develop a voluntary inspection protocol and 
related tools to expedite, standardize, and streamline 
the inspection of qualifying distributed energy sys-
tems, including— 
(A) by investigating the potential for using 
remote inspections; 
(B) by investigating the potential for sam-
ple-based inspection for distributed energy sys-
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tem installers with a demonstrated track record 
of high-quality work; and 
(C) by investigating opportunities to inte-
grate the voluntary inspection protocol into the 
online permitting platform described in para-
graph (1) and the platforms of government 
software providers; and 
(5) take any other action to expedite, stand-
ardize, streamline, or improve the process for per-
mitting, inspecting, or interconnecting qualifying 
distributed energy systems. 
(d) SUPPORT SERVICES.—The Secretary shall— 
(1) support the provision of technical assistance 
to authorities having jurisdiction, any administrator 
of the online permitting platform described in sub-
section (c)(1), government software providers, and 
any other entity determined appropriate by the Sec-
retary in carrying out the activities described in sub-
section (c); and 
(2) provide such financial assistance as the Sec-
retary determines appropriate from any funds appro-
priated to carry out this section. 
(e) AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION CERTIFI-
CATION PROGRAM.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may certify 
authorities having jurisdiction that implement the 
exemplary streamlined permitting process described 
in subsection (c)(1). 
(2) PROCESS.—The Secretary may confer a cer-
tification under paragraph (1) through existing pro-
grams within the Department of Energy. 
(3) PRIZES.—The Secretary may award prizes 
to authorities having jurisdiction, using funds appro-
priated to the Secretary to carry out this section, to 
encourage authorities having jurisdiction to adopt 
the exemplary streamlined permitting process or the 
voluntary inspection protocol established under para-
graphs (1) and (4) of subsection (c), respectively. 
(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 
through 2030. 
Æ 
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