BILL NUMBER: AB 29INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Williams DECEMBER 3, 2012 An act relating to energy efficiency. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 29, as introduced, Williams. Proposition 39: implementation. The California Clean Energy Jobs Act, an initiative approved by the voters at the November 6, 2012, statewide general election as Proposition 39, made changes to corporate income taxes and, except as specified, provides for the transfer of $550,000,000 annually from the General Fund to the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund for 5 fiscal years beginning with the 2013-14 fiscal year. Moneys in the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund are available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of funding eligible projects that create jobs in California improving energy efficiency and expanding clean energy generation. Existing law provides for allocation of these funds to public school facilities, university and college facilities, other public buildings and facilities, as well as job training and workforce development, and public-private partnerships, for eligible projects, as specified. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would use a portion of funds available in the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund to create 3 revolving loan funds for the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges for energy efficiency retrofit projects, clean energy installations, and other energy system improvements to reduce costs and achieve energy savings and environmental benefits. The revolving loan funds would be administered by the respective institutions, as specified. The bill would also make legislative findings and declarations. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) California leads the nation in developing and implementing successful energy efficiency efforts. (b) California has identified energy efficiency as one of its top priorities. (c) California should continue to lead by example by ensuring that its public higher educational institutions are achieving the state's energy goals. (d) School districts that have struggled with budget cuts have utilized clean energy to achieve future cost savings, and, as a result, have leveraged savings to support or save critical school programs. (e) It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to ensure that the revenue in the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund derived from Proposition 39, approved by the voters at the November 6, 2012, statewide general election, is appropriately distributed for the purposes intended by the voters, namely to fund clean energy and energy efficiency improvements at public schools, colleges and universities, and other eligible facilities, while training an energy efficiency and clean energy workforce, thereby reducing public agency costs for energy and saving taxpayers money for years to come. SEC. 2. It is the intent of the Legislature enact legislation that would to use a portion of funds available in the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund, created by Proposition 39, to create three revolving loan funds for the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges to be administered, respectively, by the Office of the President of the University of California, the Office of the Chancellor of the California State University, and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. Money in each of these revolving loan funds would be available for energy efficiency retrofit projects, clean energy installations, and other energy system improvements to reduce costs and achieve energy savings and environmental benefits.