Amended in Assembly May 27, 2016

Amended in Assembly May 11, 2016

Amended in Assembly April 20, 2016

Amended in Assembly April 7, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2715

Introduced by Assembly Members Eduardo Garcia, Alejo, and Dodd

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Roger Hernández and Salas)

(Coauthor: Senator Nielsen)

February 19, 2016

An act to add Section 12087.6 to the Government Code, relating to energy efficiency.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2715, as amended, Eduardo Garcia. Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program.

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The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 designates the State Air Resources Board as the state agency charged with monitoring and regulating sources of emissions of greenhouse gases. The act authorizes the state board to include the use of market-based compliance mechanisms in its regulation of greenhouse gases. Existing law requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the state board from the auction or sale of allowances as part of a market-based compliance mechanism to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and to be available upon appropriation by the Legislature.

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Existing law establishes the Department of Community Services and Development and requires the department to administer, among other things, the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Existing law requires the department to develop and administer the Energy Efficiency Low-Income Weatherization Program and to expend moneys appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of the program.

This bill would require the department to develop and administer the Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program and to expend moneys appropriated by the Legislature begin delete from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund end delete for the purposes of the program to improve energy efficiency in farmworker-owned housing.

Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to supervise certain low-income targeted energy efficiency programs administered by electrical corporations, gas corporations, or 3rd-party administrators, and requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to undertake various activities and administer various programs to promote energy efficiency.

This bill would require the department, in developing the Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program, to consult with the PUC and the Energy Commission in order to avoid duplication with the energy efficiency programs supervised by those commissions.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

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

SECTION 1.  

Section 12087.6 is added to the Government
Code, to read:

12087.6.  

(a) The department shall develop and administer the
Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program
and expend moneys appropriated by the Legislature for the
purposes of the program.

(b) (1) Moneys appropriated for the program shall be begin delete used,
consistent with the requirements of Section 39712 of the Health
and Safety Code, end delete begin insert used end insert to improve energy efficiency in
farmworker-owned housing, including for all of the following:

(A) Weatherization of homes and other residences.

(B) Replacement of energy inefficient appliances with Energy
Star-certified appliances.

(C) Replacement of lighting with light-emitting diode,
commonly known as LED, lighting.

(D) Installation of photovoltaic solar panels and solar water
heating systems.

(E) Installation of battery backups.

(2) When distributing moneys appropriated for the program,
the department shall give preference to an association of federally
designated farmworker organizations and other organizations that
have a proven track record of assisting farmworkers.

(c) (1) The department may develop requirements, guidelines,
and subgrantee contract provisions for the program.

(2) The department shall do all of the following:

(A) Consult with the Public Utilities Commission and the State
Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission
in developing the program in order to avoid duplication with the
energy efficiency programs supervised by those commissions.

(B) Not less than 30 days before finalization of the program
guidelines, post the draft program guidelines on the department’s
Internet Web site.

(C) Hold a public hearing to obtain public input on the draft
program guidelines with notice of the hearing published
prominently on the department’s Internet Web site no less than 15
days before the hearing.