UT
Utah House Bill HB0119

Utah 2025 Regular Session

Utah House Bill HB0119 Compare Versions

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1-Enrolled Copy H.B. 119
1+02-12 11:29 H.B. 119
22 1
33 Solar Panel Restrictions in Homeowners Associations Amendments
44 2025 GENERAL SESSION
55 STATE OF UTAH
66 Chief Sponsor: Doug Owens
7-Senate Sponsor: Todd Weiler
7+Senate Sponsor:
88 2
99
1010 3
1111 LONG TITLE
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1313 General Description:
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1515 This bill modifies the Utah Community Association Act.
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1717 Highlighted Provisions:
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1919 This bill:
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2121 ▸ stops a homeowners association from prohibiting solar panel installation; and
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2323 ▸ authorizes a homeowners association to restrict solar panel installation.
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2525 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
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2727 None
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2929 Other Special Clauses:
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3131 None
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3333 Utah Code Sections Affected:
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3535 AMENDS:
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3737 57-8a-701, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2023, Chapter 503
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3939
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4141 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
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4343 Section 1. Section 57-8a-701 is amended to read:
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4545 57-8a-701 . Solar energy system -- Restriction in declaration or association rule.
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4747 (1) As used in this section, "detached dwelling" means a detached dwelling for which the
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4949 association does not have an ownership interest in the detached dwelling's roof.
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51-(2)(a) [A ] No governing document, other than a declaration, may [not ]prohibit an owner
51+(2)(a) [A ] No governing document, other than a declaration, may [not] prohibit an
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53-of a lot with:
53+owner of a lot with:
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5555 (i) a detached dwelling from installing a solar energy system; or
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5757 (ii) a dwelling attached to other dwellings from installing a solar energy system, if:
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5959 (A) the association does not have an ownership interest in the dwelling's roof or
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61-building exterior; H.B. 119 Enrolled Copy
61+building exterior;
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6363 (B) the association does not have a maintenance, repair, or replacement obligation
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6565 in the dwelling's roof or building exterior; and
66+ H.B. 119 H.B. 119 02-12 11:29
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6768 (C) all lot owners with attached dwellings in the building agree to the installation
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6970 of the solar energy system.
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7172 (b) [A governing document other than a] Except as provided in Subsection (4), solar
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7374 energy system restrictions on the owner of a lot described in Subsection (2)(a) shall
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7576 be by declaration or [an] association rule [may not restrict an owner of a lot with:] .
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7778 [(i) a detached dwelling from installing a solar energy system on the owner's lot; or]
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7980 [(ii) a dwelling attached to other dwellings from installing a solar energy system on
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8182 the roof of the dwelling's building, if:]
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8384 [(A) the association does not have an ownership interest in the dwelling's roof or
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8586 building exterior;]
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8788 [(B) the association does not have a maintenance, repair, or replacement
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8990 obligation in the dwelling's roof or building exterior; and]
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91-[(C) all lot owners with attached dwellings in the building agree to the installation
92+[(C) all lot owners with attached dwellings in the building agree to the
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93-of the solar energy system.]
94+installation of the solar energy system.]
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9596 [(3) A declaration may, for a lot with a detached dwelling:]
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9798 [(a) prohibit a lot owner from installing a solar energy system; or]
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99100 [(b) impose a restriction other than a prohibition on a solar energy system's size,
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101102 location, or manner of placement if the restriction:]
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103104 [(i) decreases the solar energy system's production by 5% or less;]
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105106 [(ii) increases the solar energy system's cost of installation by 5% or less; and]
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107108 [(iii) complies with Subsection (6).]
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109-[(4)] (3)(a) [If a declaration does not expressly prohibit the installation of a solar energy
110+[(4)]
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112+(3)(a) [If a declaration does not expressly prohibit the installation of a solar energy
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111114 system on a lot with a detached dwelling, an ] An association may not amend the
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113116 declaration to impose a prohibition on the installation of a solar energy system unless
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115-the association approves the prohibition by a vote of [greater than] at least 67% of the
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118+the association approves the prohibition by a vote of Ĥ→ [greater than]
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120+at least ←Ĥ 67% of the
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117122 allocated voting interests of the lot owners in the association.
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119124 (b) An association may amend an existing provision in a declaration that prohibits the
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121126 installation of a solar energy system on a lot with a detached dwelling if the
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123-association approves the amendment by a vote of [greater than 67%] at least 51% of
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125-the allocated voting interests of the lot owners in the association.
128+association approves the amendment by a vote of Ĥ→ [greater than ←Ĥ 67%] Ĥ→ at
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130+least ←Ĥ 51% of the
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132+allocated voting interests of the lot owners in the association.
133+62
127134 [(5) An association may, by association rule, for a lot with a detached dwelling, impose a
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135+- 2 - 02-12 11:29 H.B. 119
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129137 restriction other than a prohibition on a lot owner's installation of a solar energy system
130-- 2 - Enrolled Copy H.B. 119
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132139 if the restriction:]
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134141 [(a) complies with Subsection (6);]
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136143 [(b) decreases the solar energy system's production by 5% or less; and]
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138145 [(c) increases the solar energy system's cost of installation by 5% or less.]
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140147 [(6)] (4) A declaration or an association rule may require an owner of a dwelling that installs
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142149 a solar energy system on the owner's lot:
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144151 (a) [to ]install a solar energy system that, or install the solar energy system in a manner
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146153 that:
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148155 (i) complies with applicable health, safety, and building requirements established by
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150157 the state or a political subdivision of the state;
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152159 (ii) if the solar energy system is used to heat water, is certified by:
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154161 (A) the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation; or
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156163 (B) a nationally recognized solar certification entity;
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158165 (iii) if the solar energy system is used to produce electricity, complies with applicable
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160167 safety and performance standards established by:
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162169 (A) the National Electric Code;
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164171 (B) the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers;
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166173 (C) Underwriters Laboratories;
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168175 (D) an accredited electrical testing laboratory; or
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170177 (E) the state or a political subdivision of the state;
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172179 (iv) if the solar energy system is mounted on a roof:
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174181 (A) does not extend above the roof line; or
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176183 (B) has panel frame, support bracket, or visible piping or wiring that has a color or
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178185 texture that is similar to the roof material; or
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180187 (v) if the solar energy system is mounted on the ground, is not visible from the street
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182189 that a lot fronts;
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184191 (b) [to ]pay any reasonable cost or expense incurred by the association to review an
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186193 application to install a solar energy system;
187-91
194+92
188195 (c) be responsible, jointly and severally with any subsequent owner of the lot while the
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190197 violation of the rule or requirement occurs, for any cost or expense incurred by the
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192199 association to enforce a declaration requirement or association rule; [or]
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194201 (d) as a condition of installing a solar energy system, to record a deed restriction against
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196203 the owner's lot that runs with the land that requires the current owner of the lot to
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204+- 3 - H.B. 119 02-12 11:29
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198206 indemnify or reimburse the association or a member of the association for any loss or
199-- 3 - H.B. 119 Enrolled Copy
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201208 damage caused by the installation, maintenance, or use of the solar energy system,
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203210 including costs and reasonable attorney fees incurred by the association or a member
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205212 of the association[.] ; or
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207214 (e) follow restrictions on a solar energy system's size, location, or manner of placement
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209216 if the restriction:
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211218 (i) decreases the solar energy system's production by 5% or less than the solar
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213220 production without the restriction; and
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215222 (ii) increases the solar energy system's cost of installation by 5% or less than the cost
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217224 of the installation without the restriction.
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219226 Section 2. Effective date.
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221228 This bill takes effect on May 7, 2025.
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