| 1 | 1 | | 88R6947 ANG-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Reynolds H.B. No. 2502 |
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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 the creation of an energy efficiency loan guarantee |
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| 8 | 8 | | program. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 388, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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| 11 | 11 | | by adding Section 388.013 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 388.013. ENERGY EFFICIENCY LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM. |
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| 13 | 13 | | (a) The comptroller and the State Energy Conservation Office by |
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| 14 | 14 | | rule shall establish and administer a program to issue or guarantee |
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| 15 | 15 | | loans for energy audits, upgrades, or retrofits to increase the |
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| 16 | 16 | | energy efficiency of commercial buildings and residences that are |
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| 17 | 17 | | not newly constructed. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) Rules adopted under this section must establish |
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| 19 | 19 | | eligibility requirements to receive a loan or loan guarantee under |
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| 20 | 20 | | this section. The requirements must include emissions reduction |
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| 21 | 21 | | cost-effectiveness criteria. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (c) The State Energy Conservation Office shall: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (1) use money from federal grants available through |
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| 24 | 24 | | the United States Department of Energy to begin the program |
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| 25 | 25 | | established under this section and leverage private capital or |
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| 26 | 26 | | state resources, if money available under the grants is |
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| 27 | 27 | | appropriated for that purpose; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2) establish policies for the use of federal grants |
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| 29 | 29 | | that are compatible with requirements associated with the issuance |
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| 30 | 30 | | of those grants. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (d) The State Energy Conservation Office may use a portion |
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| 32 | 32 | | of the money or other resources described by Subsection (c) for |
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| 33 | 33 | | grants, technical assistance, or administrative expenses. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (e) The State Energy Conservation Office annually shall |
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| 35 | 35 | | submit to the commission and the laboratory a report that: |
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| 36 | 36 | | (1) evaluates the effectiveness of the program |
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| 37 | 37 | | established under this section; and |
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| 38 | 38 | | (2) quantifies energy savings and emissions |
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| 39 | 39 | | reductions as a result of this program for consideration in the |
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| 40 | 40 | | state implementation plan for emissions reduction credit. |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 2. Section 389.002, Health and Safety Code, is |
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| 42 | 42 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 43 | 43 | | Sec. 389.002. USE OF CERTAIN INFORMATION FOR FEDERAL |
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| 44 | 44 | | RECOGNITION OF EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS. The commission, using |
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| 45 | 45 | | information derived from the reports to the commission under |
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| 46 | 46 | | Sections 386.205, 388.003(e), [and] 388.006, and 388.013, shall |
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| 47 | 47 | | take all appropriate and necessary actions so that emissions |
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| 48 | 48 | | reductions achieved by means of activities under Chapters 386 and |
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| 49 | 49 | | 388 are credited by the United States Environmental Protection |
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| 50 | 50 | | Agency to the appropriate emissions reduction objectives in the |
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| 51 | 51 | | state implementation plan. |
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| 52 | 52 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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