Dwelling units: indoor temperature.

Senator Stern's indoor temperature regulation measure establishes a new state policy requiring all California dwelling units to maintain safe maximum indoor temperatures, responding to rising heat-related deaths and climate projections. The legislation directs multiple state agencies, including the California Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Housing and Community Development, to incorporate this requirement when developing policies, programs, and grant criteria.

The bill's findings cite 395 excess deaths during a September 2022 heat wave in California and note that while current building standards mandate minimum indoor temperatures of 68 degrees Fahrenheit, no parallel requirement exists for maximum temperatures. Beginning January 1, 2027, state agencies must consider maximum temperature standards when revising or adopting regulations. The California Fourth Climate Change Assessment projects that urban heat-related deaths could double or triple by 2050 without intervention.

The measure tasks nine state entities, including the Public Utilities Commission, State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, and Strategic Growth Council, with implementing the new policy through their respective jurisdictions. While the bill does not specify temperature thresholds or enforcement mechanisms, it creates a framework for agencies to develop these standards through their regulatory processes.