BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2715
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Date of Hearing: May 18, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2715 (Eduardo Garcia) - As Amended May 11, 2016
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill establishes the Agricultural Working Poor Energy
Efficient Housing Program (Program) within the Department of
Community Services and Development (CSD). Specifically, this
bill:
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1)Requires the Program to be used to improve energy efficiency
in farmworker housing, including: 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 (LED)
lighting; d) installation of photovoltaic solar panels and
solar water heating systems; and, e) installation of battery
backups. Authorizes CSD to develop requirements, guidelines,
and subgrantee contract provisions for the Program.
2)Requires CSD to give preference to an association of federally
designated farmworker organizations" and other organizations
that have a proven track record of assisting farmworkers.
3)Requires CSD consult with the Public Utilities Commission
(PUC) and the California Energy Commission (CEC) in developing
the program in order to avoid duplication.
4)Requires CSD to post draft guidelines and hold a public
hearing, as specified.
FISCAL EFFECT:
1)Unknown costs pressures, likely in the $25 to $50 million
range, to fund the Program. This bill does not specify a
funding source.
2)Increased annual costs of approximately $600,000 and five
permanent staff to create a unit within CSD to establish and
administer the program.
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3)Unknown, likely absorbable, costs for the PUC and CEC to
advise CSD in developing the program to avoid duplicating
existing programs.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, California's 800,000
low-income farmworkers cannot afford to reduce their reliance
on carbon intensive energy sources. Without additional
resources and assistance, it will be especially difficult for
farmworkers, who are very low-income because of seasonal
employment and low wages, to make the expensive investments in
retrofitting homes for increased energy efficiency,
fuel-efficient cars, and other low carbon infrastructure
and/or technologies. This bill provides a program
specifically targeted towards making farmworker housing energy
efficient.
2)Background. CSD partners with a network of private,
non-profit and local government community service providers
dedicated to helping low-income families achieve and maintain
self-sufficiency, meet their home energy needs and reside in
housing free from the dangers of lead hazards.
CSD has received $154 million from the AB 32 cap-and-trade
revenues (GGRF) for low-income weatherization programs.
According to the author, CSD efforts to reach farmworkers for
these programs have not been successful. While the farmworker
population was once characterized by its mobility, today it
has become much more stable in the agricultural areas of the
state. Energy consumption in homes owned by farmworkers is
often higher than average, because there are generally larger
numbers of individuals per household. According to the
National Agricultural Workers Survey conducted by the US
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Department of Labor, approximately 15% of California's
farmworkers own homes.
This bill develops a different program, with an unspecified
funding source, that will benefit from the experience and
expertise of farmworker organizations to reach this
population.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Galehouse / APPR. / (916)
319-2081