Bill > S1751

This bill aims to improve outdoor lighting efficiency and reduce light pollution by establishing new regulations for permanent outdoor lighting fixtures when state funds are used for their installation or operation. It defines key terms like "correlated color temperature" (the apparent hue of light, measured in kelvins or K, where lower K is warmer/yellowish and higher K is cooler/bluish), "fully shielded fixture" (one that emits no direct light above the horizontal plane), "light trespass" (light falling beyond its intended area), and "sky glow" (scattered light reducing visibility of the night sky). The bill mandates that new roadway and parking-lot lighting must be fully shielded, and other fixtures over a certain brightness must also be fully shielded, while façade lighting must be shielded to minimize glare and light trespass. It also sets a maximum color temperature of 4000K for new fixtures and requires that only necessary illuminance levels, as defined by industry standards or local laws, be used. Several exceptions are provided, including for temporary emergency use, aviation safety, athletic fields (with minimization of light pollution), replacement of damaged fixtures, tunnels, and special events, though these exceptions still require efforts to minimize light pollution. The Department of Energy Resources will develop regulations to enforce these provisions, and the Department of Transportation will review roadway lighting criteria and study cost-saving measures. Additionally, the Department of Public Utilities will develop a "part-night service" rate for utilities to offer unmetered electricity for outdoor lighting that operates only part of the night.