BILL NUMBER: AB 2614 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 13, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 15, 2010
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member John A. Perez
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Tom Berryhill, Bradford, Carter,
Fong, Fuentes, Fuller, Ma, Skinner, Swanson, and Villines)
FEBRUARY 19, 2010
An act to add Section 25450.6 to, and to add
Chapter 5.10 (commencing with Section 25499) to Division 15 of
, the Public Resources Code, relating to energy.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2614, as amended, John A. Perez. Energy: home retrofit: federal
program.
(1) Existing
Existing law requires the State Energy Resources
Conservation and Development Commission to administer federal funds
pursuant to specified federal programs to eligible entities to reduce
fossil fuel emissions, improve energy efficiency, and reduce overall
energy use.
This bill would require the commission, upon the enactment of
the federal legislation establishing the Retrofit for
Energy and Environmental Performance (REEP) program
Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010 , in consultation with
the United States Department of Energy, to develop a program
to implement the REEP program in the state programs
that are required by, and that complement, the federal act. The bill
would require the commission, in consultation with specified
entities, to take specified actions to implement the federal Home
Star program .
(2) The federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
allocates federal funds to the state that are administered by the
commission for various energy-related projects.
This bill would require the commission to facilitate any
energy-related activities or programs created from an expansion of
the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
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. The Legislature finds and declares all
of the following:
(a) The United States Congress is currently working to enact
bipartisan legislation related to the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act
of 2010 (House Resolution 5019). The federal Home Star program is a
six-billion-dollar ($6,000,000,000) national effort designed to
create jobs, spur manufacturing, and promote technological innovation
by providing incentives for residential energy efficiency
improvements.
(b) The federal Home Star program is comprised of Silver Star and
Gold Star rebates, comprehensive energy audits, independent quality
assurance checks, and various financing options. Nationwide, the
federal Home Star program is projected to create almost 200,000 jobs
and enable 3,000,000 home energy retrofits.
(c) It is critically important that California integrate the
federal Home Star program with existing state energy efficiency
programs, including the investor owned and municipal utility efforts,
the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission's
actions to implement the provisions of Chapter 470 of the Statutes
of 2009 and to expand the development and the use of Property
Assessed Clean Energy bonds to finance energy or water efficiency
improvement.
(d) California also received two hundred twenty-six million
dollars ($226,000,000) from the federal American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) for the State Energy
Program (SEP). California's SEP will increase residential and
commercial building energy efficiency, reduce energy consumption and
utility bills, cut reliance on imported energy, and decrease the
impacts on the environment caused by energy production.
(e) California needs to ensure that it is in the best position to
maximize and fully leverage the federal resources that will flow to
its homeowners and businesses from the federal Home Star program.
SEC. 2. Chapter 5.10 (commencing with Section
25499) is added to Division 15 of the Public Resources
Code , to read:
CHAPTER 5.10. HOME STAR PROGRAM
25499. (a) Upon the enactment of the federal Home Star Energy
Retrofit Act of 2010 (House Resolution 5019), the commission shall,
in consultation with the United States Department of Energy, develop
programs that are required by, and that complement, the federal act
that, among other things, do all of the following:
(1) Establish a quality assurance program.
(2) Ensure that a qualified pool of professionals is available to
perform quality assurance checks.
(3) Ensure that the requisite quality assurance is performed.
(4) Develop financing options.
(b) The commission, working in conjunction with the Department of
Community Services and Development and the Public Utilities
Commission, shall streamline procedures for eligible low-income
homeowners to receive assistance for energy efficiency retrofit.
(c) The commission shall, working in conjunction with the Public
Utilities Commission, the electric utilities, and the gas utilities,
coordinate program implementation efforts and provide proper outreach
to minimize consumer confusion and the orderly implementation of the
federal Home Star program.
(d) The commission shall, in coordination with the Green Collar
Jobs Council, ensure that the council's programs, policies, and
participants are complementary to the federal Home Star program to
the greatest extent possible.
(e) (1) The commission may adopt guidelines governing the award,
eligibility, and administration of funding pursuant to this section
at a publicly noticed meeting.
(2) For the initial adoption of guidelines, the commission shall
provide written notice to the public of not less than 30 days.
(3) For substantive amendments to the guidelines, the commission
shall provide written public notice of not less than 15 days.
(4) Notwithstanding any other law, guidelines adopted pursuant to
this subdivision shall be exempt from the requirements of Chapter 3.5
(commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2
of the Government Code.
SECTION 1. Section 25450.6 is added to the
Public Resources Code, to read:
25450.6. The commission shall facilitate any energy-related
activities or programs created by the federal government pursuant to
an expansion of the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009 (Public Law 111-5).
SEC. 2. Chapter 5.10 (commencing with Section
25499) is added to Division 15 of the Public Resources Code, to read:
CHAPTER 5.10. FEDERAL FUNDING FOR RETROFIT FOR ENERGY AND
ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE
25499. (a) Upon the enactment of federal legislation establishing
the Retrofit for Energy and Environmental Performance (REEP)
program, the commission shall, in consultation with the United States
Department of Energy, develop a program implementing the Retrofit
for Energy and Environmental Performance (REEP) program in
California.
(b) In developing the program, the commission shall ensure the
participation of stakeholders representing various interests,
including workforce development, consumer awareness, and technical
standards. The commission shall ensure the appropriate level of
governmental coordination for efficient implementation of the program
and avoiding duplication of efforts.
(c) The program shall do all of the following:
(1) Ensure that building retrofit is properly performed in
compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
(2) Identify applicable industrial performance standards to
guarantee quality work.
(3) Provide for accountability.
(4) Ensure that the projected energy savings are realized.
(5) Ensure that work funded by the program is inspected by
credentialed professionals to safeguard against waste, fraud, and
abuse.
(6) Provide incentives to contractors to invest in training and a
certified workforce.
(d) The commission shall establish timely guidelines to ensure
speedy and efficient implementation of the program.