Amended in Assembly March 19, 2013

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 29


Introduced by Assembly Member Williams

December 3, 2012


An actbegin insert to add Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 99170) to Part 65 of Division 14 of Title 3 of the Education Code,end insert relating to energy efficiencybegin insert, and making an appropriation thereforend insert.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 29, as amended, Williams. Proposition 39: implementation.

The California Clean Energy Jobs Act, an initiative approved by the voters at the November 6, 2012, statewide general election as Proposition 39, made changes to corporate income taxes and, except as specified, provides for the transfer of $550,000,000 annually from the General Fund to the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund for 5 fiscal years beginning with the 2013-14 fiscal year. Moneys in the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund are available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for purposes of funding eligible projects that create jobs in California improving energy efficiency and expanding clean energy generation. Existing law provides for allocation of these funds to public school facilities, university and college facilities, other public buildings and facilities, as well as job training and workforce development, and public-private partnerships, for eligible projects, as specified.

This bill wouldbegin delete state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would use a portion of funds available in the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund to create 3 revolving loan funds for the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges for energy efficiency retrofit projects, clean energy installations, and other energy system improvements to reduce costs and achieve energy savings and environmental benefits. The revolving loan funds would be administered by the respective institutions, as specified. The bill would also make legislative findings and declarations.end deletebegin insert require the California Energy Commission to administer, in coordination with the Public Utilities Commission, the Office of the President of the University of California, the Office of the Chancellor of the California State University, and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, grants, loans, or other financial assistance to the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges for projects that create jobs in California by reducing energy demand and consumption at eligible institutions. end insert

begin insert

The bill would appropriate $152,000,000 for each of the 2013-14 to 2017-18 fiscal years, inclusive, from the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund to the California Energy Commission, in each fiscal year in which at least that amount is transferred to that fund, for allocation to the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community College for these projects, in accordance with a prescribed schedule and prioritized as specified.

end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert. Fiscal committee: begin deleteno end deletebegin insertyesend insert. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:

3(a) California leads the nation in developing and implementing
4successful energy efficiency efforts.

5(b) California has identified energy efficiency as one of its top
6priorities.

7(c) California should continue to lead by example by ensuring
8that its public higher educational institutions are achieving the
9state’s energy goals.

10(d) School districts that have struggled with budget cuts have
11utilized clean energy to achieve future cost savings, and, as a result,
12have leveraged savings to support or save critical school programs.

13(e) It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to ensure that the
14revenue in the Clean Energy Job Creation Fund derived from
15Proposition 39, approved by the voters at the November 6, 2012,
P3    1statewide general election, is appropriately distributed for the
2purposes intended by the voters, namely to fund clean energy and
3energy efficiency improvements at public schools, colleges and
4universities, and other eligible facilities, while training an energy
5efficiency and clean energy workforce, thereby reducing public
6agency costs for energy and saving taxpayers money for years to
7come.

begin delete
8

SEC. 2.  

It is the intent of the Legislature enact legislation that
9would to use a portion of funds available in the Clean Energy Job
10Creation Fund, created by Proposition 39, to create three revolving
11loan funds for the University of California, the California State
12University, and the California Community Colleges to be
13administered, respectively, by the Office of the President of the
14University of California, the Office of the Chancellor of the
15California State University, and the Office of the Chancellor of
16the California Community Colleges. Money in each of these
17revolving loan funds would be available for energy efficiency
18retrofit projects, clean energy installations, and other energy system
19improvements to reduce costs and achieve energy savings and
20environmental benefits.

end delete
21begin insert

begin insertSEC. 2.end insert  

end insert

begin insertChapter 4 (commencing with Section 99170) is added
22to Part 65 of Division 14 of Title 3 of the end insert
begin insertEducation Codeend insertbegin insert, to read:end insert

begin insert

23 

24Chapter  begin insert4.end insert Clean Energy Job Creation Fund Projects
25

 

26

begin insert99170.end insert  

(a) The California Energy Commission shall
27administer, in coordination with the Public Utilities Commission,
28the Office of the President of the University of California, the
29Office of the Chancellor of the California State University, and
30the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges,
31grants, loans, or other financial assistance to the University of
32California, the California State University, and the California
33Community Colleges for projects that create jobs in California by
34reducing energy demand and consumption at eligible institutions
35in accordance with this section.

36(b) One hundred fifty-two million dollars ($152,000,000) is
37appropriated for purposes of this section for each of the 2013-14
38to 2017-18 fiscal years, inclusive, from the Clean Energy Job
39Creation Fund to the California Energy Commission in each fiscal
40year when funds in at least that amount are transferred to the
P4    1Clean Energy Job Creation Fund pursuant to Section 26205 of
2the Public Resources Code, in accordance with all of the following:

3(1) Not more than seventy million dollars ($70,000,000) shall
4be allocated for the University of California.

5(2) Not more than thirty-two million dollars ($32,000,000) shall
6be allocated for the California State University.

7(3) Not more than fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) shall be
8allocated for the California Community Colleges.

9(c) To implement this section, the California Energy Commission
10shall do all of the following:

11(1) Administer grants, loans, or other financial assistance to
12projects that satisfy the criteria in Section 26206 of the Public
13Resources Code.

14(2) Ensure that both of the following occur:

15(A) For each segment of public higher education, not more than
1650 percent of funds appropriated pursuant to subdivision (b) shall
17be used for grants. These grants shall support proposals for which
18at least one dollar ($1) of funding from other sources is provided
19for every dollar granted pursuant to this chapter.

20(B) For each segment of public higher education, not less than
2150 percent of funds appropriated pursuant to subdivision (b) shall
22be used for financing low-interest loans, loan loss reserves, and
23revolving loan funds.

24(3) Utilize existing resources, programs, and expertise to the
25extent possible.

26(4) (A) Establish a system to prioritize eligible institutions for
27loans and other financial assistance through this section in
28consultation with the Office of the President of the University of
29California, the Office of the Chancellor of the California State
30University, and the Office of the Chancellor of the California
31Community Colleges.

32(B) The process of prioritization under this subdivision shall
33take into consideration, but not necessarily be limited to
34consideration of, all of the following factors:

35(i) The potential for demand reduction.

36(ii) The duration of the payback period.

37(iii) The amount of flexibility a project will create for local
38budgets.

39(C) The financing of loans under this section shall be prioritized
40over matching grants.

P5    1(d) The California Energy Commission shall ensure that
2adequate energy audit, measurement, and verification procedures
3are employed to ensure that energy savings and greenhouse gas
4emissions reductions occur as a result of any grants, loans, or
5other financial assistance provided pursuant to this section.

6(e) It is the intent of the Legislature that monetary savings at
7eligible institutions from retrofit and installation projects pursuant
8to this section be used to benefit students and learning at those
9institutions.

end insert


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