Bill Text: TX SB238 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the installment of electric school buses and solar panels in Texas public schools.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-29 - Co-author authorized [SB238 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SB238-Introduced.html
| By: Menéndez | S.B. No. 238 | |
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| relating to the installment of electric school buses and solar | ||
| panels in Texas public schools. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| ARTICLE 1: FINDING AND PURPOSE | ||
| SECTION 1.01. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND PURPOSE. The | ||
| legislature finds that: | ||
| (1) The legislature is committed to ensuring federal funding | ||
| and state resources are equitably allocated to prevent a disaster | ||
| such as Winter Storm Uri from occurring once again. | ||
| (2) The legislature equally commits to reviewing and | ||
| utilizing efficient methods such as battery storage and | ||
| dispatchable energy, to the best of its ability to ensure all Texas | ||
| residents have access to energy in the case of another state | ||
| disaster. | ||
| (3) The legislature finds that public school facilities are | ||
| in a unique position because of the hours of operation to serve as | ||
| an energy storage facility. Solar panels can be installed on these | ||
| public schools and electric school buses may be reliable form for | ||
| energy to be stored, distributed, and reserved daily and/or | ||
| dispatched in case of an emergency. | ||
| (4) The legislature is committed to appropriating funds to | ||
| assist in the updated infrastructure of our public schools and to | ||
| ensure the reliability of the Texas grid. | ||
| (5) The federal government has created new programs and tax | ||
| credits allowing public schools to benefit from the use of electric | ||
| school buses and clean energy measures such as solar panels. These | ||
| benefits include nearly $5 billion dollars to replace school buses | ||
| with electric models. Additionally, there are at least 51 Texas | ||
| projects amounting to $164 million that have been waitlisted, | ||
| demonstrating a strong interest and need for assistance in applying | ||
| for these methods. | ||
| (6) The legislature understands that in a state of disaster | ||
| public schools may be able to serve as an emergency shelter because | ||
| of the storage generated by the electric school buses and solar | ||
| panels on public schools. | ||
| ARTICLE 2: USE OF THE STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE | ||
| SECTION 2. Sec. 447.002. and 447.003., Government Code, is | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 447.002. INFORMATION; PROCEDURES AND RULES; MEASURES | ||
| AND PROGRAMS. (a) The state energy conservation office shall | ||
| develop and provide energy and water conservation information for | ||
| the state. | ||
| (b) The state energy conservation office may establish | ||
| procedures and adopt rules relating to the development and | ||
| implementation of energy and water conservation measures and | ||
| programs applicable to state buildings and facilities. | ||
| (c) A procedure established or a rule adopted under | ||
| Subsection (b) may include provisions relating to: | ||
| (1) the retrofitting of existing state buildings and | ||
| facilities with energy-saving or water-saving devices; |
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| (2) the energy-related or water-related renovation of | ||
| those buildings and facilities; and | ||
| (3) assistance to public school districts to submit | ||
| applications for federal and state funding for the installation and | ||
| purchase of electric school buses and solar panels in public | ||
| schools. | ||
| Sec. 447.003. LIAISON TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. The state | ||
| energy conservation office is the state liaison to the federal | ||
| government for the implementation and administration of federal | ||
| programs relating to state agency energy matters. The office shall | ||
| administer state programs established under: | ||
| (1) Part D, Title III, Energy Policy and Conservation Act | ||
| (42 U.S.C. Section 6321 et seq.), and its subsequent amendments; | ||
| (2) Part G, Title III, Energy Policy and Conservation Act | ||
| (42 U.S.C. Section 6371 et seq.), and its subsequent amendments; | ||
| and | ||
| (3) other federal energy conservation programs including the | ||
| Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs | ||
| Act, and other state sources of funding as assigned to the office by | ||
| the governor or the legislature. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
