Bill Text: CA AB2601 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Energy Savings Assistance Program: energy-efficient appliances.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-03-28 - In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author. [AB2601 Detail]
Download: California-2023-AB2601-Introduced.html
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2601
| Introduced by Assembly Member Ramos |
February 14, 2024 |
An act to amend Section 382 of the Public Utilities Code, relating to energy.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2601, as introduced, Ramos.
Energy Savings Assistance Program: energy-efficient appliances.
(1) Existing law vests the Public Utilities Commission with regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations. The Public Utilities Act requires the commission, by December 31, 2020, to ensure that all eligible low-income electricity and gas customers are given the opportunity to participate in low-income energy efficiency programs, including customers occupying apartments or similar multiunit residential structures. Existing law requires these programs to be designed to provide long-term reductions in energy consumption at the dwelling unit based on an audit or assessment of the dwelling unit and authorizes these programs to include, among other things, energy-efficient appliances.
This bill would require energy-efficient appliances provided pursuant to the Energy Savings
Assistance Program to only replace natural gas appliances with electric appliances. The bill would also make various nonsubstantive changes.
(2) Under existing law, a violation of any order, decision, rule, direction, demand, or requirement of the commission is a crime.
Because a violation of a commission action implementing the above-described requirement would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 382 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:382.
(a) Programs provided to low-income electricity customers, including, but not limited to, targeted energy-efficiency services and the California Alternate Rates for Energy program shall be funded at not less than 1996 authorized levels based on an assessment of customer need.(b) In order to To meet legitimate needs of electric electricity and gas customers who are unable to pay their electric
electricity and gas bills and who satisfy eligibility criteria for assistance, recognizing that electricity is a basic necessity, necessity and that all residents of the state should be able to afford essential electricity and gas supplies, the commission shall ensure that low-income ratepayers are not jeopardized or overburdened by monthly energy expenditures. Energy expenditure may be reduced through the establishment of different rates for low-income ratepayers, different levels of rate assistance, and energy efficiency programs.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to This
section does not prohibit electric electricity and gas providers from offering any a special rate or program for low-income ratepayers that is not specifically required in this section.
(d) Beginning in 2002, an assessment of the needs of low-income electricity and gas ratepayers shall be conducted periodically by the commission with the assistance of the Low-Income Oversight Board. A periodic assessment shall be made not less often than every third year. The assessment shall evaluate low-income program implementation and the effectiveness of
weatherization services and energy efficiency measures in low-income households. The assessment shall consider whether existing programs adequately address low-income electricity and gas customers’ energy expenditures, hardship, language needs, and economic burdens.
(e) (1) (A) The commission shall, by not later than December 31, 2020, ensure that all eligible low-income electricity and gas customers are given the opportunity to participate in low-income energy efficiency programs, including customers occupying apartments or similar multiunit residential structures. The commission and electrical corporations and gas corporations shall make all reasonable efforts to coordinate ratepayer-funded programs with other energy conservation and efficiency programs and to obtain additional federal funding
to support actions undertaken pursuant to this subdivision.
These
(B) These programs shall be designed to provide long-term reductions in energy consumption at the dwelling unit based on an audit or assessment of the dwelling unit, and may include improved insulation, energy efficient energy-efficient appliances, measures that utilize
use solar energy, and other improvements to the physical structure.
(2) Energy-efficient appliances provided pursuant to the Energy Savings Assistance Program shall only replace natural gas appliances with electric appliances.
(f) The commission shall allocate funds necessary to meet the low-income objectives in this section.
