Bill Text: CA AB386 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Vetoed) 2020-01-21 - Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file. [AB386 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB386-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  August 13, 2019

Amended  IN  Assembly  March 05, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 386

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Introduced by Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia
(Coauthor: Senator Nielsen)

February 05, 2019

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An act to add Section 12087.8 to the Government Code, relating to energy efficiency.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 386, as amended, Eduardo Garcia. Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program.

Existing law establishes the Department of Community Services and Development and requires the department to administer, among other things, the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Existing law requires the department to develop and administer the Energy Efficiency Low-Income Weatherization Program and to expend moneys appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of the program.

This bill would require the department to develop and administer the Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program and to expend moneys appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of the program to improve energy efficiency in farmworker-owned housing. The bill would require the department to report to the Legislature on the program with respect to balances and expenditures, households reached, demographics of the households reached, measures funded, and energy savings.

Existing law requires the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to supervise certain low-income targeted energy efficiency programs administered by electrical corporations, gas corporations, or 3rd-party administrators, and requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to undertake various activities and administer various programs to promote energy efficiency.

This bill would require the department, in developing the Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program, to consult with the PUC and the Energy Commission in order to ensure compatibility with the state’s energy policies and goals and to avoid duplication of the energy efficiency programs supervised by those commissions.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 12087.8 is added to the Government Code, to read:

12087.8.

 (a) The department shall develop and administer the Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program and expend moneys appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of the program.

(b) (1) Moneys appropriated for the program shall be used to improve energy efficiency in farmworker housing, including, but not limited to, for all of the following:

(A) Weatherization of homes and other residences.

(B) Replacement of energy inefficient appliances with Energy Star-certified appliances.

(C) Replacement of lighting with light-emitting diode, commonly known as LED, lighting.

(D) Installation of photovoltaic solar panels and solar water heating systems and bringing farmworker housing into building code compliance to allow installation of those systems.

(E)Installation of battery backups.

(2) When distributing moneys appropriated for the program, the department shall give preference to an association of federally designated farmworker organizations and other organizations that have a proven track record of assisting farmworkers.

(c) (1) The department shall develop program requirements and guidelines, including income-based program eligibility limits, and may develop subgrantee contract provisions for the program.

(2) The department shall do all of the following:

(A) Consult with the Public Utilities Commission and the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission in developing the program in order to ensure compatibility with the state’s energy policies and goals and to avoid duplication of the energy efficiency programs supervised by those commissions.

(B) Not less than 30 days before finalization of the program guidelines, post the draft program guidelines on the department’s internet website.

(C) Hold a public hearing to obtain public input on the draft program guidelines with notice of the hearing published prominently on the department’s internet website no less than 15 days before the hearing.

(D) By January 1 of the third calendar year following receipt of funding for the program, report to the budget committees and appropriate policy committees of each house of the Legislature on program balances and expenditures, the number of households reached by the program, the demographics of households reached, including whether the household is owner occupied or occupant rented, a list of measures funded by the program, and an estimate of the energy saved by the program.