Bill Text: NJ S688 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires Commissioner of Community Affairs to amend or supplement State Uniform Construction Code concerning use of balcony solar panel systems.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-03-02 - Transferred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S688 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S688-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator BOB SMITH
District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senator Diegnan
SYNOPSIS
Requires Commissioner of Community Affairs to amend or supplement State Uniform Construction Code concerning use of balcony solar panel systems.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning construction and electrical guidance for modification for use of balcony solar panel systems and supplementing P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. For the purposes of this section, "balcony solar panel system" means a device or system that: (1) consists of one or more solar systems, an inverter, cables, cords, conductors, connectors, couplers, enclosures, attachment plugs, power outlets, switches and controls, interfaces, associated apparatus to make energy generated by solar panels available through a plug for connection to the final circuit for use by an end user; (2) inhibits the feeding of power generated by the balcony solar panel system back into the power grid; and (3) has dimensions not exceeding 50 inches by 30 inches, or a surface area of 1,500 square inches.
b. The Commissioner of Community Affairs shall adopt, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), a balcony solar panel system addendum to, or may propose amendments to revise, the electrical subcode or other appropriate model code adopted pursuant to the "State Uniform Construction Code Act," P.L.1975, c.217 (C.52:27D-119 et seq.), for the purpose of establishing adequate and appropriate standards to provide guidance concerning wiring or modification of homes to accommodate the use of commercially available balcony solar panel systems. The guidance shall include standards for the use, in New Jersey, of balcony solar panel systems designed for use in the United States, and standards for the modification or adaptation of home electrical systems for the use, in New Jersey, of balcony solar panel systems that were designed for use in countries other than the United States.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would require the Commissioner of Community Affairs to provide guidance concerning wiring or modification of homes to accommodate the use of commercially available balcony solar panel systems, as defined in the bill, through either: (1) adopting a balcony solar panel system addendum; or (2) proposing amendments to revise the electrical subcode or other model code adopted pursuant to the State Uniform Construction Code Act.
Balcony solar panel systems, also referred to as "plug-in solar panels," are small, commercially available solar panel systems which can be plugged into a wall electrical socket. However, due to international variation in electrical socket voltage, certain balcony solar panel systems designed for use in countries other than the United States may not be safe for use in New Jersey without modification or adaptation to the home.
