BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 228
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 6, 2009

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                Kevin De Leon, Chair

                    AB 228 (Huffman) - As Amended:  April 20, 2009

          Policy Committee:                              UtilitiesVote:9-5
                        Natural Resources                     6-3

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill:

          1)Requires, instead of  adopting minimum energy efficiency  
            standards for outdoor lighting that would reduce consumption  
            of outdoor lighting by 25% by 2018, that the California Energy  
            Commission (CEC) adopt standards by January 1, 2011 that would  
            achieve this goal as soon as practicable, but no later than  
            2018. 

          2)Clarifies that when adopting the outdoor lighting standards  
            the CEC shall have the authority to include efficiency  
            standards for outdoor lighting systems. 

          3)Eliminates the requirement that the CEC consult with Caltrans  
            when adopting outdoor lighting standards. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          The CEC considers a more aggressive deadline for the meeting the  
          25% reduction as unattainable, thus there should not be any  
          additional costs beyond those attached to the legislation that  
          enacted the original deadline (see below).

           COMMENTS  

           Purpose  .  AB 1109 (Huffman)/Chapter 534 of 2007, required the  
          CEC to adopt minimum efficiency standards for both indoor and  
          outdoor lighting by January 1, 2008.  The bill required that the  
          standards for outdoor lighting should result in a 25% decrease  
          in electricity usage by 2018.  The CEC has adopted specific  








                                                                  AB 228
                                                                  Page  2

          standards for general-purpose light bulbs (which included bulbs  
          used in outdoor lighting).  However, to meet the 25% reduction  
          for outdoor lighting, the CEC may be required to implement  
          standards for entire lighting systems that will reduce overall  
          usage.  These standards could include systems such as automatic  
          shut-off switches, dimmers, and motion sensors.

          AB 228 requires that the CEC adopt standards to meet the 25%  
          goal as soon as practicable. According to CEC staff, the current  
          2018 time frame is already an aggressive goal that they do not  
          believe can be met sooner.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081