California Assembly Bill AB2715 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2715AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 7, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Eduardo Garcia, Dodd, and Alejo  (   Coauthors:   Assembly Members   Roger Hernndez   and Salas   )   (   Coauthor:   Senator   Nielsen   )  FEBRUARY 19, 2016 An act to add Section 12087.6 to the Government Code, relating to energy efficiency. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2715, as amended, Eduardo Garcia. Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program. The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms. Existing law requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the state board from the auction or sale of allowances as part of a market-based compliance mechanism to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and to be available upon appropriation by the Legislature. Existing law establishes the Department of Community Services and Development and requires the department to administer, among other things, the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Existing law requires the department to develop and administer the Energy Efficiency Low-Income Weatherization Program and to expend moneys appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of the program. This bill would require the department to develop and administer the Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program and to expend moneys appropriated by the Legislature from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for the purposes of the program. Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission to supervise certain low-income targeted energy efficiency programs administered by electrical corporations, gas corporations, or 3rd-party administrators. This bill would require the department, in developing the Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program, to consult with the commission in order to avoid duplication with those energy efficiency programs supervised by the commission. 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 12087.6 is added to the Government Code, to read: 12087.6. (a) The department shall develop and administer the Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program and expend moneys appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of the program. It is the intent of the Legislature that not less than  twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000)   fifty million dollars ($50,000,000)  shall be appropriated annually to the department from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, created pursuant to Section 16428.8, for these purposes. (b) (1) Moneys appropriated for the program shall be used, consistent with the requirements of Section 39712 of the Health and Safety Code, to improve energy efficiency in farmworker housing, including for all of the following: (A) Weatherization of homes and other residences. (B) Replacement of energy inefficient appliances with Energy Star certified appliances. (C) Replacement of lighting with light emitting diode, commonly known as LED, lighting. (D) Installation of photovoltaic solar panels and solar water heating systems. (E) Installation of battery backups. (2) When distributing moneys appropriated for the program, the department shall give preference to  the association of federally designated farmworker organizations and other  organizations that have a proven track record of assisting farmworkers. (c) (1) The department may develop requirements, guidelines, and subgrantee contract provisions for the program. (2) The department shall do all of the following: (A) Consult with the Public Utilities Commission in developing the program in order to avoid duplication with those energy efficiency programs supervised by the commission. (B) No less than 30 days before finalization of the program guidelines, post the draft program guidelines on the department's Internet Web site. (C) Hold a public hearing to obtain public input on the draft program guidelines with notice of the hearing published prominently on the department's Internet Web site no less than 15 days before the hearing. (d) Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 does not apply to the development and adoption of program requirements, guidelines, and subgrantee contract provisions pursuant to this section.