BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 850
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 3, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS, PROFESSIONS AND CONSUMER
PROTECTION
Mary Hayashi, Chair
AB 850 (Gordon) - As Amended: April 14, 2011
SUBJECT : State buildings: efficiency.
SUMMARY : Requires the California Energy Commission (CEC), in
consultation with the Department of General Services (DGS) and
other state agencies and departments, to develop a multi-year
plan of energy efficiency and water conservation for state
facilities. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires CEC, in consultation with DGS and other state
agencies and departments, to develop a multi-year plan of
energy efficiency and water conservation for state facilities.
2)Requires DGS, in consultation with CEC, to make
recommendations to the Governor and Legislature to achieve
energy efficiency and water conservation goals and report
specified information for its projects, by January 1, 2013,
and biennially thereafter.
3)Requires CEC to solicit input from both public and private
entities.
4)Requires that the plan shall not prohibit, limit, or supersede
more stringent green building requirements for public
buildings.
5)Defines "state facilities" to mean any public building,
including any structure, building, facility, or work that a
state agency has jurisdiction of, or is authored to design or
construct, but does not include state-leased buildings unless
financed by lease-revenue bonds.
6)Makes legislative findings and declarations.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Authorizes DGS to sell, lease, exchange, transfer, and
maintain state property.
AB 850
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2)Requires DGS, in consultation with CEC, to develop a
multi-year plan of energy efficiency.
3)Requires DGS to make recommendations to the Governor and
Legislature to achieve energy efficiency and water
conservation goals and report specified information for its
projects, by March 1, 2009, and biennially thereafter.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS :
Purpose of this bill . According to the author's office, "The
CEC should be tasked with regularly assessing the state's
progress toward improving energy efficiency and water
conservation strategies in state buildings. Since 1992, DGS has
been required to make assessments regarding energy efficiency in
state buildings, and starting in 2008, to report their findings
on a regular basis to the Governor and the Legislature. By
engaging CEC as the lead on the evaluation of energy efficiency
strategies, we are enabling our own experts in the field to
guide our statewide strategy.
Background . DGS is responsible for maintaining state buildings
and implementing policy decisions related to state facilities.
It is unclear why existing law should be revised to give CEC the
decision-making authority granted to DGS over state buildings.
Existing law already requires DGS to consult with CEC in the
development of an energy efficiency plan relating to state
buildings. Further, nothing precludes CEC from soliciting input
from public and private entities nor restricts DGS from adopting
more stringent green building requirements for public buildings.
Committee Amendments . The following are suggested committee
amendments that are necessary to clarify that DGS is the entity
responsible for managing state buildings.
On page 3, strike out lines 8 to 10, inclusive, and insert
"Department of General Services, in consultation with the State
Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission and
other state agencies and"
On page 3, line 14, strike out "commission" and insert
AB 850
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"department"
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Joanna Gin / B.,P. & C.P. / (916)
319-3301