Bill Text: CA AB523 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Electric Program Investment Charge: allocation.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2017-10-07 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 551, Statutes of 2017. [AB523 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB523-Amended.html

Amended  IN  Assembly  April 04, 2017

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill No. 523


Introduced by Assembly Member Reyes
(Principal coauthor: Senator Lara)

February 13, 2017


An act to add Section 25711.6 to the Public Resources Code, relating to energy.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 523, as amended, Reyes. Electric Program Investment Charge: allocation.
The California Constitution establishes the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), with jurisdiction over all public utilities, as defined. Existing decisions of the PUC institute an Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) to fund renewable energy and research, development, and demonstration programs.
Existing law creates in the State Treasury the Electric Program Investment Charge Fund to be administered by the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) and requires the PUC to forward to the Energy Commission at least quarterly moneys for those EPIC programs the PUC has determined should be administered by the Energy Commission for deposit in the fund.
Existing law requires the Energy Commission, in administering moneys in the fund for research, development, and demonstration programs, to develop and implement the EPIC program for the purpose of awarding funds to projects that may lead to technological advancement and breakthroughs to overcome barriers that prevent the achievement of the state’s statutory energy goals and that may result in a portfolio of projects that are strategically focused and sufficiently narrow to make advancement on the most significant technological challenges.
This bill would require the Energy Commission to allocate at least 25% of the moneys in the fund for technology demonstration and deployment at sites located in in, or benefiting, disadvantaged communities, as defined. The bill would require the Energy Commission to allocate at least 10% of the moneys in the fund for technology demonstration and deployment at sites located in, or benefiting, low-income communities, as defined. The bill would require the Energy Commission to give preference for funding to clean energy projects under the EPIC program that benefit residents of low-income or disadvantaged communities.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 25711.6 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:

25711.6.
 (a) The commission shall give preference for funding pursuant to this chapter to clean energy projects that benefit residents of low-income or disadvantaged communities.
(b) The commission shall expend at least 25 percent of the moneys appropriated from the fund for technology demonstration and deployment at sites located in in, or benefiting, disadvantaged communities.
(c) The commission shall expend at least 10 percent of the moneys appropriated from the fund for technology demonstration and deployment at sites located in, or benefiting, low-income communities located in the state.
(d) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) “Disadvantaged communities” means communities identified pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code.
(2) “Low-income communities” means communities within census tracts with median household incomes at or below either of the following levels:
(A) Eighty percent of the statewide median income.
(B) The applicable low-income threshold listed in the State Income Limits updated by the Department of Housing and Community Development and filed with the Office of Administrative Law pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 50093 of the Health and Safety Code.

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