Amended
IN
Assembly
April 17, 2023 |
Introduced by Assembly Member Grayson (Coauthors: Assembly Members Gipson, Low, (Coauthors: Senators Alvarado-Gil and Caballero) |
February 16, 2023 |
In enacting this article, the Legislature finds and declares:
(a)California has been and continues to be a global leader on climate change policy, with goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.
(b)California has made significant and sustained investments towards programs whose purpose is to reduce California’s greenhouse emissions.
(c)Minority small business enterprises number over 1,200,000 in California, making up nearly one-third of all small businesses in the state.
(d)Evidence shows that there is a huge gap in minority small business enterprises’
participation in the market transition to a low carbon future. It is essential that minority enterprises actively participate in delivering solutions that help California achieve its aggressive climate goals.
(e)Effective pathways need to be created to ensure that disadvantaged businesses in areas of high poverty and low investment in California have access to the opportunities, resources, partnerships, knowledge, and enabling technologies necessary to start, build, and scale enterprises that create high road jobs and essential community wealth building opportunities.
(a)There is hereby established, within the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, the Equity in Energy Task Force.
(b)The task force shall perform all of the following duties:
(1)Identify all energy resources, including, but not limited to, grants, tax credits, loans, technical assistance, and workforce training funding across state departments and agencies.
(2)Identify whether existing programs include an equity component and the participation levels of women, minorities, disabled individuals, veteran-owned businesses, and individuals from disadvantaged communities.
(3)Provide recommendations on addressing barriers to access to the energy industry and how to increase participation levels among underrepresented communities.
(4)Establish participation targets for the equitable allocation of resources.
(5)Work with the California Workforce Development Board and California Community Colleges to identify California’s workforce development programs specific to the energy industry and gather data on the participation rates of disadvantaged communities, small businesses, and disabled veteran business enterprises, as well as how education and outreach is conducted to these communities.
(c)The task force shall submit a written report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature, no later than December 31, 2024,
providing recommendations on addressing barriers to access to the energy industry and how to increase participation levels. The report shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795.
(a)The task force shall consist of 14 members, appointed as follows:
(1)An appointee from the Assembly.
(2)An appointee from the Senate.
(3)An appointee from the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
(4)An appointee from the California Workforce Development Board.
(5)An appointee from the CalAsian Chamber of Commerce.
(6)An appointee from the California African American Chamber of Commerce.
(7)An appointee from the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
(8)An appointee from the Energy Commission.
(9)An appointee from the Public Utilities Commission.
(10)An appointee from the Strategic Growth Council.
(11)An appointee from the California Community Colleges.
(12)An appointee from the Treasurer.
(13)An appointee from the California Air Resources Board.
(14)An appointee from the State Building and Construction Trades Council.
(b)The first meeting of the task force shall occur no later than January 31, 2024.
(c)The task force shall convene 12 meetings over a period of 12 months between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024.
(d)Beginning January 1, 2025, the task force shall meet annually to review progress in the participation levels of women, minorities, disabled individuals, veteran-owned businesses, and individuals from disadvantaged communities in the energy sector.
This article shall remain in effect only until December 31, 2030, and as of that date is repealed.