Texas 2011 - 82nd Regular

Texas House Bill HB2077 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Rodriguez (Senate Sponsor - Deuell) H.B. No. 2077
2	2	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 2011;
3	3	May 9, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on Natural
4	4	Resources; May 18, 2011, reported favorably by the following vote:
5	5	Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 18, 2011, sent to printer.)
6	6
7	7
8	8	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
9	9	AN ACT
10	10	relating to a pilot program under the loanstar revolving loan
11	11	program to promote the use of energy efficiency measures and
12	12	renewable energy technology by certain nonprofit organizations.
13	13	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14	14	SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 2305, Government Code, is
15	15	amended by adding Section 2305.0322 to read as follows:
16	16	Sec. 2305.0322. PILOT REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM FOR ENERGY
17	17	EFFICIENCY MEASURES AND RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGY BY CERTAIN
18	18	NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. (a) The legislature finds that
19	19	promoting the implementation of energy efficiency measures and
20	20	renewable energy technology is necessary to protect the public
21	21	health and environment of this state and that the up-front cost of
22	22	implementing those improvements often prevents some in the private
23	23	sector, especially certain nonprofit organizations, from making
24	24	the improvements. To make the implementation of energy efficiency
25	25	measures and renewable energy technology by certain nonprofit
26	26	organizations more affordable, it is necessary to provide
27	27	alternative means of financing those improvements. Therefore, the
28	28	legislature finds that a public purpose will be served by
29	29	establishing a pilot program that provides loans to community-based
30	30	organizations and houses of worship to finance the implementation
31	31	of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy technology in
32	32	the buildings owned and operated by those organizations.
33	33	(b) In this section:
34	34	(1) "Community-based organization" has the meaning
35	35	assigned by Section 535.001.
36	36	(2) "Energy efficiency" means a measure that is aimed
37	37	at reducing the rate at which energy is used by equipment or
38	38	processes and may be achieved by:
39	39	(A) substituting more advanced equipment to
40	40	produce the same or a higher level of end-use services with less
41	41	energy;
42	42	(B) adopting technology and processes that
43	43	reduce heat or other energy losses;
44	44	(C) installing materials, including
45	45	weatherization materials, or equipment that reduces or facilitates
46	46	a reduction in heat or other energy loss; or
47	47	(D) reorganizing processes to make use of waste
48	48	heat.
49	49	(3) "House of worship" means a nonprofit corporation
50	50	or association that:
51	51	(A) is operated through a religious or
52	52	denominational organization, including an organization that is
53	53	operated for religious, educational, or charitable purposes and
54	54	that is operated, supervised, or controlled, wholly or partly, by
55	55	or in connection with a religious organization; or
56	56	(B) clearly demonstrates through the
57	57	organization's mission statement, policies, or practices that the
58	58	organization is guided or motivated by religion.
59	59	(4) "Pilot program" means the pilot program
60	60	established under this section to provide loans to houses of
61	61	worship and community-based organizations to finance the
62	62	implementation of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy
63	63	technology in buildings owned or operated by those organizations.
64	64	(5) "Renewable energy technology" has the meaning
65	65	assigned by Section 39.904(d), Utilities Code.
66	66	(c) Notwithstanding the requirement that the energy office
67	67	provide loans under the loanstar revolving loan program to finance
68	68	energy and water efficiency measures for public facilities, the
69	69	energy office shall establish and administer a pilot program under
70	70	the loanstar revolving loan program established under Section
71	71	2305.032 to provide loans to houses of worship and community-based
72	72	organizations to finance the implementation of energy efficiency
73	73	measures and renewable energy technology in buildings owned or
74	74	operated by those organizations.
75	75	(d) Not later than January 1 of each year, the energy office
76	76	shall submit a report to the legislature that includes:
77	77	(1) a brief description of:
78	78	(A) the implementation and status of the pilot
79	79	program;
80	80	(B) the energy efficiency measures or renewable
81	81	energy technologies financed under the pilot program; and
82	82	(C) the energy saved and clean energy produced as
83	83	a result of implementing energy efficiency measures or renewable
84	84	energy technologies financed under the program;
85	85	(2) recommendations for addressing any challenges or
86	86	obstacles encountered in financing the implementation of energy
87	87	efficiency measures and renewable energy technologies under the
88	88	pilot program; and
89	89	(3) any additional information the office determines
90	90	necessary.
91	91	(e) This section expires December 31, 2015.
92	92	SECTION 2. The state energy conservation office shall
93	93	establish the pilot program required under Section 2305.0322,
94	94	Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than March 1, 2012.
95	95	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
96	96	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
97	97	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
98	98	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
99	99	Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
100	100	* * * * *