| 1 | 1 | | 81R6072 KFF-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Ortiz, Jr. H.B. No. 1652 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to use of money from the Texas Enterprise Fund or the Texas |
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| 8 | 8 | | emerging technology fund to promote alternative energy sources and |
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| 9 | 9 | | energy efficiency technologies. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 481.078, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 12 | 12 | | adding Subsections (k) and (l) to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (k) At least 20 percent of the total amount of grants made |
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| 14 | 14 | | from the fund must be to fund the establishment and expansion of |
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| 15 | 15 | | enterprises in this state that have as their primary purpose: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) the provision of energy derived from alternative |
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| 17 | 17 | | energy sources; or |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) the conservation of energy resources through |
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| 19 | 19 | | energy efficiency technology. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (l) For purposes of Subsection (k): |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) "Alternative energy source" means an energy |
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| 22 | 22 | | source, including solar energy, biomass energy, geothermal energy, |
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| 23 | 23 | | and wind energy, that does not depend on nuclear fuel or |
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| 24 | 24 | | nonrenewable fossil fuel. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2) "Energy efficiency technology" means technology |
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| 26 | 26 | | that is aimed at reducing the rate at which electric energy is used |
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| 27 | 27 | | by equipment or processes and may be achieved by: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (A) substituting more advanced equipment to |
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| 29 | 29 | | produce the same level of end-use services with less electricity; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (B) adopting technology and processes that |
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| 31 | 31 | | reduce heat or other energy losses; or |
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| 32 | 32 | | (C) reorganizing processes to make use of waste |
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| 33 | 33 | | heat. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 2. Section 490.151, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 35 | 35 | | amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read |
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| 36 | 36 | | as follows: |
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| 37 | 37 | | (a) Subject to Subsection (c), amounts [Amounts] allocated |
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| 38 | 38 | | from the fund for use as provided by this subchapter shall be |
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| 39 | 39 | | reserved for incentives for private or nonprofit entities to |
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| 40 | 40 | | collaborate with public or private institutions of higher education |
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| 41 | 41 | | in this state on emerging technology projects with a demonstrable |
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| 42 | 42 | | economic benefit to this state. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (c) The governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the |
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| 44 | 44 | | house of representatives shall ensure that at least 30 percent of |
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| 45 | 45 | | the amounts allocated from the fund for use as provided by this |
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| 46 | 46 | | subchapter shall be used for initiatives that promote alternative |
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| 47 | 47 | | energy sources or energy efficiency technologies. |
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| 48 | 48 | | (d) In this section: |
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| 49 | 49 | | (1) "Alternative energy source" means an energy |
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| 50 | 50 | | source, including solar energy, biomass energy, geothermal energy, |
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| 51 | 51 | | and wind energy, that does not depend on nuclear fuel or |
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| 52 | 52 | | nonrenewable fossil fuel. |
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| 53 | 53 | | (2) "Energy efficiency technology" means technology |
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| 54 | 54 | | that is aimed at reducing the rate at which electric energy is used |
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| 55 | 55 | | by equipment or processes and may be achieved by: |
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| 56 | 56 | | (A) substituting more advanced equipment to |
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| 57 | 57 | | produce the same level of end-use services with less electricity; |
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| 58 | 58 | | (B) adopting technology and processes that |
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| 59 | 59 | | reduce heat or other energy losses; or |
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| 60 | 60 | | (C) reorganizing processes to make use of waste |
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| 61 | 61 | | heat. |
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| 62 | 62 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 63 | 63 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 64 | 64 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 65 | 65 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 66 | 66 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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