Success in Sacramento

If you remember, I wrote a post about a bill that had squeaked by in the Assembly, and was headed to the State Senate. Yesterday, AB 2678 (Nunez) was amended to remove provisions that would have authorized the Energy Commission to mandate point of sale energy audits and retrofits for buildings, and restrict the commission from creating point of sale provisions for residences. The amendment clearly states that "for residential buildings, the energy efficiency improvements audits or improvements are not required as a condition of sale and do not unreasonably or unnecessarily affect the home purchasing process or the ability of individuals to rent housing."
This was the only item we discussed with Senators during our legislative day visits. Realtor opposition to this bill was based on the provision that has been removed, which would have forced energy audits and retrofits be completed to the home before the state would allow it to be sold. If the amended version is approved, it appears that this will be a major victory for Realtors across the state who spoke out in opposition to AB 2678. Political action can work!