BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1186
Page 1
( Without Reference to File )
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 1186 (Skinner)
As Amended August 31, 2011
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | |(May 12, 1022) |SENATE: |21-18|(August 31, |
| | | | | |2012) |
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(vote not relevant)
Original Committee Reference: NAT. RES.
SUMMARY : Establishes the School Energy Efficiency and
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act (Act) to provide funding for the
California Energy Commission's (CEC) Bright Schools Program.
The Senate amendments delete the Assembly version of the bill,
and instead create that School Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse
Gas Reduction Act (Act), which:
1)Establishes the School Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Fund (Fund), and specifies that moneys in the Fund
be available to the California Energy Commission (CEC), upon
appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of implementing
the Act.
2)Specifies that grants awarded pursuant to the Bright Schools
Program be awarded to eligible institutions, which are defined
as a K-12 public school.
3)Requires CEC to ensure that adequate energy audit,
measurement, and verification procedures are employed to
ensure that energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG)
reductions occur as a result of any grants made.
4)Requires CEC to adopt any regulations or guidelines necessary
to implement the Act, including emergency regulations.
5)Requires CEC, in consultation with the Superintendent, to
establish a system to prioritize eligible institutions for
grants under the Act, including the age of the institution,
the proportion of students receiving free and reduced-price
AB 1186
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meals, whether the facilities have been recently modernized,
whether the facilities are operated as a year-round school,
the potential for demand reduction, and the school's score
from an energy rating system.
6)Requires CEC to determine, based on the annual energy savings
reported by the institutions, the total GHG reductions
achieved under the Act.
7)Specifies that the Act does not affect the eligibility of
schools awarded grants to receive other incentives.
8)Permits any eligible institution to submit an application to
CEC for a grant from the Fund for GHG reductions achieved
through energy efficiency improvements.
9)Requires each eligible institution that receives a grant
pursuant to the Act to report the amount of energy saved to
the CEC, as specified.
EXISTING LAW : Under its existing regulatory authority, CEC
established the Bright Schools Program to provide energy audits,
review existing school proposals and designs, and develop
equipment performance specifications for K-12 public schools.
AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY , this bill required the Public
Utilities Commission (PUC) to establish a program to award
grants to K-12 public schools for energy efficiency
improvements.
The PUC would be required to direct gas and electrical
corporations to implement that program within their respective
service areas.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : According to the author, "schools account for nearly
12 percent of commercial energy consumption, and last year's
General Fund expenditures for utility bills at K-12 public
schools exceeded $1 billion? Retrofitting inefficient
classrooms provides long-term savings and budgetary flexibility
so districts can concentrate limited resources on education and
not utility bills." This bill is intended to allow CEC to
resume the Bright Schools Program.
The Bright Schools Program was established by CEC to provide
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funding to K-12 public schools for energy audits, review of
existing school proposals and designs, and the development of
equipment performance specifications.
This bill establishes the Act and establishes the Fund to award
grants to K-12 public schools through the CEC's Bright Schools
Program. The bill does not identify the source of any potential
funds. The Bright Schools program has been inactive since June,
2010. According to the CEC's Notice of Temporary Suspension of
Technical Assistance Program:
Due to workload constraints associated with American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds, technical
assistance will not be offered to BSP applicants after
December 3, 2009. Typically, the technical assistance
program has provided energy audits to K-12
schools to identify energy saving recommendations or
reviews of energy proposals and designs. Technical
assistance will continue to be conducted for ARRA related
activities.
Analysis Prepared by : DaVina Flemings/ U.& C./ (916) 319-2083
FN: 0005910