Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3061 Compare Versions

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1	1	88R7066 ANG-F
2	2	By: Zwiener H.B. No. 3061
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the creation of certain energy efficiency programs.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Chapter 388, Health and Safety Code, is amended
10	10	by designating Sections 388.001 through 388.012 as Subchapter A and
11	11	adding a subchapter heading to read as follows:
12	12	SUBCHAPTER A. BUILDING ENERGY PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
13	13	SECTION 2. Chapter 388, Health and Safety Code, is amended
14	14	by adding Subchapter B to read as follows:
15	15	SUBCHAPTER B. ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS
16	16	Sec. 388.051. ENERGY EFFICIENCY LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM.
17	17	(a) The comptroller and the State Energy Conservation Office by
18	18	rule shall establish and administer a program to issue or guarantee
19	19	loans for energy audits, upgrades, or retrofits to increase the
20	20	energy efficiency of commercial buildings and residences that are
21	21	not newly constructed.
22	22	(b) Rules adopted under this section must establish
23	23	eligibility requirements to receive a loan or loan guarantee under
24	24	this section. The requirements must include emissions reduction
25	25	cost-effectiveness criteria.
26	26	(c) The State Energy Conservation Office shall:
27	27	(1) use money from federal grants available through
28	28	the United States Department of Energy to begin the program
29	29	established under this section and leverage private capital or
30	30	state resources, if money available under the grants is
31	31	appropriated for that purpose; and
32	32	(2) establish policies for the use of federal grants
33	33	that are compatible with requirements associated with the issuance
34	34	of those grants.
35	35	(d) The State Energy Conservation Office may use a portion
36	36	of the money or other resources described by Subsection (c) for
37	37	grants, technical assistance, or administrative expenses.
38	38	Sec. 388.052. HOME REBATE PROGRAM. (a) The comptroller and
39	39	the State Energy Conservation Office shall establish a home rebate
40	40	program for whole-house energy savings retrofit programs that will
41	41	make rebates available to eligible third-party aggregators and
42	42	households, including single-family and multifamily residences, to
43	43	make existing residences more energy efficient.
44	44	(b) The State Energy Conservation Office shall establish
45	45	program requirements that are compatible with federal standards and
46	46	beneficial to the state.
47	47	(c) The State Energy Conservation Office may use money
48	48	available to the office for purposes of this section for grants,
49	49	technical assistance, and administrative expenses, including
50	50	appropriate contracts.
51	51	(d) The State Energy Conservation Office may coordinate
52	52	with the Public Utility Commission of Texas and electric utility
53	53	providers, including electric cooperatives and municipally owned
54	54	utilities, to maximize the benefits of the program established
55	55	under this section by combining the benefits of the program with
56	56	other programs.
57	57	Sec. 388.053. HIGH-EFFICIENCY ELECTRIC HOME REBATE
58	58	PROGRAM. (a) The comptroller and the State Energy Conservation
59	59	Office shall establish a high-efficiency electric home rebate
60	60	program for electric appliances that have an overall energy benefit
61	61	to the state when installed in households, including single-family
62	62	and multifamily residences.
63	63	(b) The State Energy Conservation Office shall establish
64	64	program requirements that are compatible with federal standards and
65	65	beneficial to the state.
66	66	(c) The State Energy Conservation Office may use money
67	67	available to the office for purposes of this section for grants,
68	68	technical assistance, and administrative expenses, including
69	69	appropriate contracts.
70	70	Sec. 388.054. IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM. (a) The comptroller
71	71	and the State Energy Conservation Office shall establish a program
72	72	to foster sustained, cost-effective implementation of
73	73	international codes, including the International Energy
74	74	Conservation Code and its subsequent revisions, to the extent
75	75	allowed by state law. The program must provide for training,
76	76	grants, and other assistance as necessary.
77	77	(b) The State Energy Conservation Office shall establish
78	78	program requirements that are compatible with federal standards and
79	79	beneficial to the state.
80	80	(c) The State Energy Conservation Office may use money
81	81	available to the office for purposes of this section for grants,
82	82	technical assistance, and administrative expenses.
83	83	Sec. 388.055. REQUIRED REPORTS. The State Energy
84	84	Conservation Office annually shall submit to the commission and the
85	85	laboratory a report that:
86	86	(1) evaluates the effectiveness of the programs
87	87	established under this subchapter; and
88	88	(2) quantifies energy savings and emissions
89	89	reductions as a result of programs established under this
90	90	subchapter for consideration in the state implementation plan for
91	91	emissions reduction credit.
92	92	Sec. 388.056. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires December
93	93	31, 2031.
94	94	SECTION 3. Section 389.002, Health and Safety Code, is
95	95	amended to read as follows:
96	96	Sec. 389.002. USE OF CERTAIN INFORMATION FOR FEDERAL
97	97	RECOGNITION OF EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS. The commission, using
98	98	information derived from the reports to the commission under
99	99	Sections 386.205, 388.003(e), [and] 388.006, and 388.055, shall
100	100	take all appropriate and necessary actions so that emissions
101	101	reductions achieved by means of activities under Chapters 386 and
102	102	388 are credited by the United States Environmental Protection
103	103	Agency to the appropriate emissions reduction objectives in the
104	104	state implementation plan.
105	105	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.