IL HB5049

Counties and municipalities are prohibited from adopting or enforcing ordinances, rules, or other measures regulating the installation or inspection of residential energy backup systems, including on buildings with shared roofs.

"Residential energy backup system" is defined as a backup energy system at a residential property capable of providing no more than 50 kilowatts of electricity or having storage capacity of no more than 200 kilowatt hours, including all associated infrastructure and components.

The preemption applies to any building with a dedicated electrical connection to a utility or a dedicated electrical meter, expanding protections beyond what existing solar energy system regulations cover.

The bill amends both the Counties Code (55 ILCS 5) and the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5) to ensure uniform statewide treatment of residential energy storage systems.

Effective date is June 1, 2026.