California Assembly Bill AB2137 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2137AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 28, 2014 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Quirk FEBRUARY 20, 2014 An act  to add Chapter 5.10 (commencing with Section 25499) to Division 15 of the Public Resources Code,  relating to  business.   energy efficiency.  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2137, as amended, Quirk. Small Business Energy Efficiency Incentive Program.  Existing law requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to administer various programs to provide incentives to specified entities for energy efficiency projects. Existing law requires the commission to establish incentives in the form of specified financial assistance for, among other entities, small businesses for constructing and retrofitting buildings to be more energy efficient by using, among other things, products certified by the commission as energy efficient zone heating products. Existing law also requires the commission to establish minimum levels of operating efficiency for appliances.   This bill would require the commission to establish the Small Business Energy Efficiency Incentive Program to provide rebates to small business for eligible equipment, as defined, that meets the appliance efficiency standards established by the commission and reduces the electricity usage of the small business. The bill would establish the Small Business Energy Efficiency Incentive Program Fund in the State Treasury and would require the moneys in the fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to be expended by the commission for the purposes of the program. The bill would require the commission to identify excess moneys available for energy efficiency programs that it administers and would require those excess moneys be transferred to the fund.   Existing law declares that energy and water conservation efforts, including the promotion of energy efficiency improvements to residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, or other real property are necessary to address the issue of global climate change. Existing law authorizes the legislative body of any public agency, as defined, to determine that it would be convenient and advantageous to designate an area within which authorized city officials and free and willing property owners may enter into contractual assessments and make arrangements to finance the installation of distributed generation renewable energy sources or energy efficiency improvements that are permanently fixed to real property, as specified.   This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would establish the Small Business Energy Efficiency Incentive Program to provide small businesses with incentives to update or replace their high energy use equipment by providing financing options for these purposes.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Chapter 5.10 (commencing with Section 25499) is added to Division 15 of the   Public Resources Code   , to read:   CHAPTER 5.10. SMALL BUSINESS ENERGY EFFICIENCY INCENTIVE PROGRAM 25499. (a) For purposes of this chapter, "eligible equipment" means an electric or gas product that supports the day-to-day operation of a business. (b) The commission shall establish the Small Business Energy Efficiency Incentive Program to provide rebates to small businesses for the purchase of eligible equipment that meets the energy efficiency standards established pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 25402 and decreases the electricity usage of the small business. (c) The commission, in consultation with the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, shall develop an investment strategy to allocate funds appropriated for the purpose of this program. (d) (1) There is hereby established in the State Treasury the Small Business Energy Efficiency Incentive Program Fund. Moneys in the fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended by the commission for the purpose of this chapter. (2) The commission shall identify excess moneys available for energy efficiency programs it administers and, to the extent not inconsistent with federal law or the California Constitution, shall transfer those excess moneys to the Small Business Energy Efficiency Incentive Program Fund to be available for appropriation.   SECTION 1.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish the Small Business Energy Efficiency Incentive Program to provide small businesses with incentives to update or replace their high energy use equipment by providing financing options for these purposes.