By: Chisum H.B. No. 4345
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to relating to the creation of the Texas Center for
Sustainable Business.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 447, Government Code, is amended by
adding Section 447.014 to read as follows:
Sec. 447.014. CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS. (a) To
assist Texas businesses in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and
transitioning successfully to a low-carbon economy, the state
energy conservation office shall establish and oversee the Texas
Center for Sustainable Business.
(b) The center shall develop a sustainable business action
plan that will provide a balanced assessment of strategies for
assisting businesses in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions.
(c) The state energy conservation office may employ an
executive director for the center and may contract with a private
entity or an institution of higher education to assist in
performing the duties of the center.
(d) The state energy conservation office shall appoint the
sustainable business advisory council. Membership on the advisory
council shall consist of at least one representative from each of
the following:
(1) the electric utility industry;
(2) the manufacturing industry;
(3) the petrochemical industry;
(4) the environmental industry;
(5) the transportation industry;
(6) the building industry;
(7) higher education; and
(8) state government.
(e) The center may establish other advisory councils, task
forces, or commissions it deems necessary to accomplish the
center's purposes under this section.
(f) In developing the sustainable business action plan
required by Subsection (b), the center shall:
(1) work with the Texas Commission on Environmental
Quality and the United States Environmental Protection Agency to
create an accounting of greenhouse gas emissions in this state;
(2) determine the total amount of carbon dioxide
emissions in this state in 2005 and recommend practices,
strategies, and policies that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions
in this state to within a range of 97 percent to 102 percent of 2005
levels by 2012, to within a range of 80 percent to 86 percent of 2005
levels by 2020, to 58 percent of 2005 levels by 2030, and to 20
percent of 2005 levels by 2050;
(3) establish a registry of actions to reduce carbon
dioxide emissions that have been taken by Texas businesses since
January 1, 2000, and work with the United States Environmental
Protection Agency to recognize and give credit for early action
under federal carbon emissions limits adopted after September 1,
2009;
(4) identify and prioritize strategies for reducing
emissions of greenhouse gases in this state that will result in net
savings or in no additional financial cost to consumers or
businesses of this state;
(5) identify, assess, and promote commercialization
of technology that will achieve the greatest greenhouse gas
reductions at the lowest cost;
(6) identify available grants for applied research to
develop new technologies and other practical solutions to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions; and
(7) assess the costs and benefits of joining the
Southwest Climate Change Initiative or another regional
initiative.
(g) The center annually shall submit a plan to the governor
and the legislature presenting the assessments and recommendations
required by Subsection (f).
SECTION 2. The Texas Center for Sustainable Business is
eligible to receive grants from the Texas Enterprise Fund to fund
its duties under Section 447.014, Government Code, as added by this
Act, during the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2009.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.