(a) Notwithstanding other laws, residential construction intended to repair, restore, or replace a residential building damaged or destroyed as a result of a disaster in an area in which a state of emergency has been proclaimed by the Governor pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 8550) of Division 1 of Title 2 of the Government Code shall comply with requirements regarding photovoltaic systems pursuant to regulations prescribed pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 25402, if any, that were in effect at the time the damaged or destroyed residential building was originally constructed and shall not be required to comply with any additional or conflicting photovoltaic system requirements in effect at the time of repair, restoration, or replacement.

(b) This section does not apply to emergencies proclaimed by the Governor on and after January 1, 2020.

(c) This section only applies when one or more of the following conditions are met:

(1) The income of the owner of the residential building is at or below the median income for the county in which the residential building is located as determined by the Department of Housing and Community Development state income limits.

(2) The construction does not exceed the square footage of the property at the time it was damaged.

(3) The new construction is located on the site of the home that was damaged.

(4) The owner of the residential building did not have code upgrade insurance at the time the property was damaged.

(d) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2023, and as of that date is repealed.

(Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 259, Sec. 1. (AB 178) Effective January 1, 2020. Repealed as of January 1, 2023, by its own provisions.)