H.B. 197 Summary

• Establishes a refrigerant management program administered by the Department of Health to reduce emissions of high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants and ozone-depleting substances from stationary commercial and industrial refrigeration and air conditioning systems.

• Requires annual registration, regular leak inspections, leak reporting, and service practice standards for refrigeration systems exceeding de minimis charging capacity levels, with exemptions for systems using low-GWP refrigerants.

• Authorizes the Department of Health to adopt administrative rules establishing de minimis charging capacity levels, GWP thresholds, leak rate thresholds, record retention requirements, and enforcement penalties for program violations.

• Requires the State Building Code Council to establish building codes and standards consistent with reducing greenhouse gas emissions from hydrofluorocarbons and prohibits state laws from restricting refrigerants designated as acceptable under federal law (42 U.S.C. § 7671k).

• Appropriates funding to the Department of Health for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 to implement the refrigerant management program, with an effective date of July 1, 2050.