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House approves amendment to require HVAC in new multifamily construction; delegates ask for implementation clarity
Summary
Delegates adopted committee amendments to a bill requiring air conditioning in apartment buildings with four or more units for permits issued after June 1; members raised concerns about timing, scope and how the measure applies to renovations, and the bill was special-ordered for further consideration.
House Bill 3-39, which would require certain residential rental units in apartment buildings to provide air conditioning during summer months and set standards for when landlords must provide cooling, drew extended floor discussion on March 4.
As amended, the bill requires landlords of residential rental units in apartment buildings with four or more units to provide air conditioning from June 1 through Sept. 3 for units in buildings covered by the statute. The committee amendments narrowed coverage to apartment buildings with four or more units and removed a technical ASHRAE standards reference that had drawn industry concern; the amendments also made the requirement apply only to permits issued after the effective date.
Why it matters: Delegates questioned the effective date and whether the requirement would apply to permits already issued or only those issued after June 1. The floor leader clarified the amended language applies only to building permits issued after the effective date, a point several members asked to confirm. Delegates also asked whether substantial rehabilitation of a single unit in a multiple-unit building would trigger replacement requirements for all units; the sponsor said a single-unit rehab would likely not meet the bill's threshold for mandatory replacement across all units.
Action and next steps: The House adopted committee amendments. Concerned delegates requested additional time to consider potential amendments; the bill was special-ordered for the next legislative day to allow those conversations and any technical fixes.
What the bill does not yet resolve: The chamber did not resolve precise definitions for "substantial renovation" or the exact technical standards landlords must meet beyond the broad duty to provide cooling in covered buildings. Those topics remain for potential amendments and regulatory implementation.
