(Cortese D) The Drought-Resistant Buildings Act.

Current Text: Introduced: 2/17/2023 

Status: 10/13/2023-Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 884, Statutes of 2023.
3/30/2023-Set for hearing April 18.

Summary: Existing law, the California Building Standards Law, establishes the California Building Standards Commission within the Department of General Services and sets forth its powers and duties, including approval and adoption of building standards and codification of those standards into the California Building Standards Code. Existing law requires the commission to adopt specific building standards, including standards for graywater, and to publish, or cause to be published, editions of the California Building Standards Code in its entirety once every 3 years. Existing law establishes the Building Standards Administration Special Revolving Fund, and makes the moneys in the fund available, upon appropriation, to state entities to carry out various related provisions, as specified.

This bill would require the commission to develop and propose mandatory building standards to reduce the designed potable water demand of new buildings by 25% from current mandatory design requirements and to minimize the use of potable water for nonpotable uses. The bill would require the commission to adopt mandatory building standards that require new buildings to be designed to capture graywater and use alternative water sources for nonpotable building and landscaping water uses, as specified. This bill contains other related provisions and other existing laws.