BILL ANALYSIS
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 363
Author: Hancock (D)
Amended: 5/28/09
Vote: 21
SENATE ENERGY, UTILITIES & COMUN. COMMITTEE : 7-0, 4/27/09
AYES: Padilla, Corbett, Kehoe, Lowenthal, Simitian,
Wiggins, Wright
NO VOTE RECORDED: Benoit, Calderon, Cox, Strickland
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 7-5, 5/28/09
AYES: Kehoe, Corbett, DeSaulnier, Hancock, Leno, Oropeza,
Yee
NOES: Cox, Denham, Runner, Walters, Wyland
NO VOTE RECORDED: Wolk
SUBJECT : Solar Energy School Subaccount
SOURCE : Coalition for Adequate School Housing
Kyoto USA
DIGEST : This bill establishes the Solar School
Subaccount (Subaccount) in the State Energy Conservation
Assistance Account. The Subacccount shall be available for
the deposit of funds, including, but not limited to, the
American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (Public Law
111-5). Funds in the Subaccount, upon appropriation by the
Legislature, shall be used for loans at an interest rate no
higher than 1.5 percent to schools to utilize for the
installation of solar energy systems pursuant to the Energy
CONTINUED
SB 363
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Conservation Association Act of 1979.
ANALYSIS :
The Energy Conservation Assistance Act of 1979 establishes,
until January 1, 2011, the State Energy Conservation
Assistance Account, a continuously appropriated account,
that is administered by the State Energy Resources
Conservation and Development Commission to provide grants
and loans to local government and public institutions,
including, among others, schools, to maximize energy use
savings.
This bill is intended to make the purchase and installation
of energy renewable systems cost-neutral for school
districts by making loans at an interest rate no higher
than 1.5 percent available to school districts. This bill
creates the Solar School Subaccount within the State Energy
Conservation Assistance Account and administered through
the California Energy Commission. School districts can
purchase energy renewable systems such as photovoltaic
systems up to one megawatt per year and finance the
purchase through low interest loans available to school
districts. The payment made for any loan is made from the
avoided electricity costs as a result of PV systems.
Upon appropriation by the Legislature, funds from the
American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 will be
deposited into the Subaccount. The funds will be available
to public school districts regardless of other funds a
district may be eligible for.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/1/09)
Coalition for Adequate School Housing (co-source)
Kyoto USA (co-source)
Albany (CA) Sustainability Committee
Albany Coalition for Environmental Health
Albany Unified School District's Pool Sustainability
Committee
Bay Localize
SB 363
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BookFinder.com
California Interfaith Power and Light
Carbon Neutral Albany
City of Albany
City of Richmond
City of Richmond
Community Environmental Council
Creekcats Environmental Partners
Dharma Merchant Services
Dreyfuss & Blackford Architects
Global Green
Green Chamber of Commerce
Green Sangha
Greenbank Associates
HeliomU
Interactive Resources, Inc.
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Renewable Funding
San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Physicians for Social
Responsibility
Sequoia Foundation
Sierra Club Northern Alameda Group
Sierra Club, California
Solar Panels for Albany High
Solar Richmond
South Bay Cities Council of Government
SunPower
The Ecology Center
The Vote Solar Initiative
Warner Bros. Entertainment
West Sonoma County Union High School District
DLW:do 6/1/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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