California Assembly Bill AB2297 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2297AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 2, 2014 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Levine FEBRUARY 21, 2014 An act to add Section 1250.07 to the Health and Safety Code, relating to health facilities. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2297, as amended, Levine. Health facilities: fuel cell generators. Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of health facilities by the State Department of Public Health. A violation of these provisions is a crime. Existing law requires certain health facilities to test diesel backup generators in accordance with specified provisions. This bill would authorize these health facilities to use  fuel cell backup generators, as defined, if the technology is as reliable and safe as diesel backup generators. The bill would specify that the crime provision described above does not apply to this authorization   reliable alternative clean energy technologies as primary or backup power sources if the technology meets reliability requirements set   forth by federal and state regulators. The bill would require the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development to submit to the California Building Standards Commission guidelines for the use of reliable alternative clean energy technologies for essential services, to be adopted in the next triennial edition of the California Building Standards Code  . Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 1250.07 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read: 1250.07. (a)  (1)    A health facility, as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 41514.1, may use  fuel cell backup generators if the technology is at least as reliable and safe as diesel backup generators   reliable alternative clean energy technologies as primary or backup power sources if the technology meets reliability requirements set forth by federal and state regulators  .  (2) For purposes of this section, a "fuel cell backup generator" means a backup generator that electrochemically converts fuel to electric energy.   (b) Section 1290 does not apply to this section.   (b) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development shall submit to the California Building Standards Commission guidelines for the use of reliable alternative clean energy technologies for essential services to be adopted in the next triennial edition of the California Building Standards Code.