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Panel reviews H.940 to align municipal and regional plans with enhanced energy planning and update statutory references
Summary
Legislative counsel and staff walked the committee through H.940, which amends regional and municipal planning statutes to integrate optional enhanced energy determinations with land‑use review, update greenhouse gas and renewable energy references, and repeal an advisory board on telecommunications and connectivity.
The Senate examined H.940 on April 17, a three‑topic bill that includes provisions to integrate optional enhanced energy planning into existing municipal and regional planning review and to update statutory cross‑references.
Legislative counsel explained the bill moves enhanced energy planning review into the existing regional and municipal plan adoption and amendment processes so Department of Public Service review occurs in parallel with Land Use Review Board consideration. The change is intended to avoid parallel processes and improve coordination.
The bill updates references so enhanced energy planning aligns with current greenhouse gas reduction requirements and the renewable-energy standard. It also adjusts procedural timelines and adds exceptions allowing provisional determinations to avoid gaps when plans are amended off cycle.
A third topic in the bill repeals the Telecommunications and Connectivity Advisory Board. Committee members indicated general support for moving forward and discussed coordination with a related bill (S.325) that had overlapping language; staff advised reconciling differences when both bills advance.
The committee voiced no substantive objections and staff said the bill could be placed on a future agenda for possible action.
