BILL NUMBER: AB 2409	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 29, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Allen

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2012

   An act  to add Section 25228 to the Public Resources Code,
  relating to energy efficiency.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2409, as amended, Allen. Energy efficiency. 
   Existing law requires the State Energy Resources and Conservation
Commission to implement various programs to provide financial
assistance to specified entities for energy efficiency improvements.
 
   This bill would require the commission, in collaboration with
specified entities, to review and develop emerging markets and
financing models for financing energy efficiency improvements and
services that maximizes private sector investment with minimal public
financial investment.  
   Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has regulatory
authority over public utilities. Existing law requires the State
Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to adopt
energy conservation standards to reduce the wasteful, uneconomic,
inefficient, or unnecessary consumption of energy.  

   This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation to create a task force to study the feasibility of
creating a Sustainable Energy Utility for the purposes of expanding
renewable energy development and improving energy efficiency programs
and its further intent to enact legislation to require the task
force to report its findings to the Legislature on or before January
1, 2014. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no
  yes  . State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Section 25228 is added to the 
 Public Resources Code   , to read:  
   25228.  The commission, in collaboration with the Public Utilities
Commission, the Treasurer's office, the State Air Resources Board,
and the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank,
shall review and develop emerging markets and financing models to
provide financing for energy efficiency improvements and services
that maximizes private sector investment with minimal public
financial investment. The commission shall, at a minimum, examine all
of the following:
   (a) Long-term finance options, including, but not limited to,
establishing, facilitating, or improving bonding authority to provide
tax exempt bonds, private activity bonds, or private investment
bonds.
   (b) Potential immediate and long-term financing capabilities for
various financing models.
   (c) Potential for implementing shared savings agreements.
   (d) Potential for developing a market dedicated to extracting all
of the financial values for energy efficiencies and energy management
services.
   (e) Potential market development for energy efficiency financing
for state infrastructure, such as building retrofits, as well as
purchases of high-efficiency alternatives for equipment that consume
energy.
   (f) Potential market development for residential and business
retrofits, as well as purchases of high-efficiency alternatives for
equipment that consumes energy.  
  SECTION 1.    It is the intent of the Legislature
to enact legislation to create a task force to study the feasibility
of creating a Sustainable Energy Utility for the purposes of
expanding renewable energy development and improving energy
efficiency programs.
   It is further the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation
to require the task force to report its findings to the Legislature
on or before January 1, 2014.