Bill > SB655

This bill requires the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to research and develop building standards for newly constructed residential dwelling units that would ensure a maximum safe indoor air temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit, to be proposed for adoption in the next California Building Standards Code update after January 1, 2026. The proposed standards may include strategies like mechanical ventilation, natural ventilation, shading, and cooling techniques. The bill's context stems from increasing heat-related risks, including data showing heat is the leading weather-related cause of death in the United States and that urban heat-related deaths in California could double or triple by 2050. While current building standards specify a minimum indoor temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit, this bill would introduce a maximum temperature standard, with a particular focus on protecting vulnerable and disadvantaged communities that are disproportionately affected by extreme heat. The Legislature's intent is to encourage state agencies to develop comprehensive policies addressing safe maximum indoor temperatures across residential dwellings, recognizing the growing challenges posed by climate change and rising temperatures.

Budget and Finance, Housing and Urban Affairs

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB655