BILL ANALYSIS
AB 2561
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 19, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Wesley Chesbro, Chair
AB 2561 (Villines) - As Amended: April 13, 2010
SUBJECT : Energy: commission and department
SUMMARY : Creates a Secretary of Energy, renames the California
Energy Commission (CEC) the Department of Energy (DOE),
consolidates various existing state and local energy-related
duties within the DOE, and provides that the DOE generally is
governed by the Secretary, except for specified decisions made
by a board consisting of the Secretary and four public members
appointed by the Governor.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Creates a DOE headed by a Cabinet-level Energy Secretary,
charged with planning, developing, and implementing all major
aspects of state energy policy.
2)Places the existing functions of the CEC, and creates the
California Energy Board (CEB), within the DOE.
3)Consolidates various existing minor state agency energy
functions into the DOE, including the Electricity Oversight
Board, the Energy Extension Service in the Office of Planning
and Research, and the Energy Assessment and Energy Services
Programs in the Department of General Services.
4)Repeals several obsolete energy-related state agencies and
programs.
5)Transfers administration of low-income energy assistance and
weatherization assistance programs from the Department of
Community Services and Development (CSD) to the DOE on or
after January 1, 2013.
6)Provides for appointment of a Secretary of Energy and
Assistant Secretary of Energy, subject to Senate confirmation
and serving at the pleasure of the Governor.
7)Reconfigures the CEC as the CEB consisting of the Energy
Secretary as chair plus four "public" members to be appointed
AB 2561
Page 2
to four-year terms with qualifications consistent with those
currently applicable to CEC Commissioners (i.e. attorney,
economist, engineer/scientist, and environmentalist).
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
Previous energy reorganization proposals. This bill's basic DOE
structure is similar to Governor's Reorganization Plan 3,
proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2005, and previous
legislation, including ABX3 33 (Villines) from 2009. GRP 3 was
rejected by the Senate before it took effect. ABX3 33 was
approved by the Assembly last year, but was held in the Senate
with no action.
Does this bill give California a new energy policy? The
presentation of this bill suggests that current law hinders the
Governor's ability to articulate an energy policy. In fact,
current law provides a formal avenue for the Governor to report
to the Legislature his official statement of energy policy.
Under SB 1389 (Bowen), Chapter 568, Statutes of 2002, the
Governor is required to review the CEC's Integrated Energy
Policy Report (IEPR) and report his agreement or disagreement
with its policy recommendations to the Legislature within 90
days. The Governor's report is his official statement of energy
policy. The bill doesn't modify the Governor's IEPR obligations
under current law, but assigns the Energy Secretary the
responsibility to plan, develop, and implement all major aspects
of an unspecified energy policy.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Building Owners & Managers Association of California
California Apartment Association
California Building Industry Association
California Business Properties Association
California Chamber of Commerce
California Forestry Association
International Council of Shopping Centers
National Association of Industrial & Office Properties,
California Council
Pacific Gas and Electric
AB 2561
Page 3
San Diego Gas & Electric
Southern California Edison
Southern California Gas
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Lawrence Lingbloom / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092