BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1234
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 27, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Nancy Skinner, Chair
AB 1234 (Skinner) - As Amended: April 13, 2009
SUBJECT : State Capitol: modernization plan.
SUMMARY : Requires the Department of General Services (DGS) to
develop a Smart Capitol: Smart Building Modernization Plan
(Plan) and to implement the Plan by January 1, 2012.
EXISTING LAW establishes the Historic State Capitol Commission
(Commission) and requires the Commission to prepare and amend a
comprehensive master plan for the restoration, preservation, and
maintenance of the historic State Capitol. Specifies that the
"historic" portion of the State Capitol refers to the building
housing the state legislative offices and chambers in the City
of Sacramento, but excludes the East Annex.
THIS BILL :
1)By January 1, 2011, requires DGS to submit to the Plan to the
Legislature and to implement the Plan by January 1, 2012.
Specifies that the Plan:
a) "Combines advanced technology" to address energy
management by all end users;
b) Provides for advanced building automation that
significantly reduces energy consumption;
c) Includes wireless capabilities and telecommunications
including allowing for public testimony via remote
government sites;
d) May be considered a model for adoption in all state
buildings; and,
e) Includes a public education demonstration for visitors
about smart buildings.
2)Requires DGS in developing the Plan to:
a) Consult with the Commission to ensure the Plan is
AB 1234
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consistent with the master plan;
b) Develop the Plan in a manner consistent with
requirements for alterations to the historic portions of
the Capital building; and,
c) Coordinate with the Sacramento Municipal Utility
District (SMUD), as the provider of electricity to all
state buildings in the Sacramento region.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : According to the Capitol Museum, "the West's first
great architectural monument was the California State Capitol in
Sacramento." The California State Capitol Building was
completed in 1874 after 14 years of construction. By
mid-century the Legislature had outgrown the original building;
the East Annex was completed in 1952 to house the Governor and
the Lieutenant Governor and to provide additional office space
and committee rooms for the Legislature. In 1972 a seismic
study found that the Capitol would not survive an earthquake,
this finding and the need to modernize the building resulted in
the largest restoration project ever undertaken in North America
at that time. In order to protect the historic nature of the
building, the Legislature established the Historic State Capitol
Commission in 1976 to advise the Legislature on any changes made
to the building. In January 1982, the six year restoration
project was completed.
In 2001, the State and Consumer Services Agency, DGS, and SMUD
held the Greening of the State Capitol Project in Sacramento.
The Project identified numerous ways to "green" the Capitol,
including increasing energy efficiency, instituting
environmentally preferable purchasing requirements, building
commissioning, use of electric vehicles, establishing on-site
power generation, installing water efficiency measures, and
improving recycling. The Project also completed a landscape
assessment, which identified irrigation problems and methods to
compost green waste and use the composted material in Capitol
Park. While some of these activities have been undertaken, many
improvements could still be made to improve the overall
environmental impact of the Capitol.
According to the author, "with over 800,000 visitors annually,
2,500 employees, and 350 offices, the State Capitol is the ideal
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place to establish a successful model for smart building
modernization."
1)Related legislation
a) AB 1327 (Bass) establishes the State Capitol
Sustainability Task Force to coordinate, develop, and
complete a state capitol sustainability initiative. This
bill is scheduled to be heard in this committee on April
27th.
2)Technical amendment
The committee may wish to amend the bill to correct a drafting
error in the name of the Historic State Capitol Commission. On
page 3, line 37, replace "Capital" with "Capitol".
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Elizabeth MacMillan / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092