By: Menéndez S.B. No. 238
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the installment of electric school buses and solar
panels in Texas public schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
ARTICLE 1: FINDING AND PURPOSE
SECTION 1.01. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. The
legislature finds that:
(1) The legislature is committed to ensuring federal funding
and state resources are equitably allocated to prevent a disaster
such as Winter Storm Uri from occurring once again.
(2) The legislature equally commits to reviewing and
utilizing efficient methods such as battery storage and
dispatchable energy, to the best of its ability to ensure all Texas
residents have access to energy in the case of another state
disaster.
(3) The legislature finds that public school facilities are
in a unique position because of the hours of operation to serve as
an energy storage facility. Solar panels can be installed on these
public schools and electric school buses may be reliable form for
energy to be stored, distributed, and reserved daily and/or
dispatched in case of an emergency.
(4) The legislature is committed to appropriating funds to
assist in the updated infrastructure of our public schools and to
ensure the reliability of the Texas grid.
(5) The federal government has created new programs and tax
credits allowing public schools to benefit from the use of electric
school buses and clean energy measures such as solar panels. These
benefits include nearly $5 billion dollars to replace school buses
with electric models. Additionally, there are at least 51 Texas
projects amounting to $164 million that have been waitlisted,
demonstrating a strong interest and need for assistance in applying
for these methods.
(6) The legislature understands that in a state of disaster
public schools may be able to serve as an emergency shelter because
of the storage generated by the electric school buses and solar
panels on public schools.
ARTICLE 2: USE OF THE STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE
SECTION 2. Sec. 447.002. and 447.003., Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 447.002. INFORMATION; PROCEDURES AND RULES; MEASURES
AND PROGRAMS. (a) The state energy conservation office shall
develop and provide energy and water conservation information for
the state.
(b) The state energy conservation office may establish
procedures and adopt rules relating to the development and
implementation of energy and water conservation measures and
programs applicable to state buildings and facilities.
(c) A procedure established or a rule adopted under
Subsection (b) may include provisions relating to:
(1) the retrofitting of existing state buildings and
facilities with energy-saving or water-saving devices; and
(2) the energy-related or water-related renovation of
those buildings and facilities; and
(3) assistance to public school districts to submit
applications for federal and state funding for the installation and
purchase of electric school buses and solar panels in public
schools.
Sec. 447.003. LIAISON TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. The state
energy conservation office is the state liaison to the federal
government for the implementation and administration of federal
programs relating to state agency energy matters. The office shall
administer state programs established under:
(1) Part D, Title III, Energy Policy and Conservation Act
(42 U.S.C. Section 6321 et seq.), and its subsequent amendments;
(2) Part G, Title III, Energy Policy and Conservation Act
(42 U.S.C. Section 6371 et seq.), and its subsequent amendments;
and
(3) other federal energy conservation programs including the
Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs
Act, and other state sources of funding as assigned to the office by
the governor or the legislature.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.