Bill Text: TX SB955 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to economic development and workforce retraining opportunities in the transition to the use of clean energy sources.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-11 - Referred to Natural Resources & Economic Development [SB955 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-SB955-Introduced.html
  87R2349 SLB-F
 
  By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 955
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to economic development and workforce retraining
  opportunities in the transition to the use of clean energy sources.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 403, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 403.0285 to read as follows:
         Sec. 403.0285.  COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND
  WORKFORCE RETRAINING IN CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION. (a) In this
  section, "committee" means the Committee on Economic Development
  and Workforce Retraining in the Clean Energy Transition.
         (b)  The governor shall appoint the Committee on Economic
  Development and Workforce Retraining in the Clean Energy Transition
  to assist the comptroller in identifying and evaluating economic
  development and workforce retraining opportunities with regard to
  the transition to clean energy sources.
         (c)  The committee is composed of not more than 21 members
  and shall include:
               (1)  representatives of environmental justice
  communities, environmental associations, and labor organizations;
               (2)  at least five representatives of industries that
  use large amounts of energy;
               (3)  representatives of the renewable energy industry,
  the oil and gas industry, including pipeline construction and
  operation and refineries, and clean energy developers; and
               (4)  at least one representative from each of the
  following agencies:
                     (A)  the comptroller of public accounts;
                     (B)  the office of the governor;
                     (C)  the Railroad Commission of Texas;
                     (D)  the State Energy Conservation Office;
                     (E)  the Texas Commission on Environmental
  Quality;
                     (F)  the Texas Department of Housing and Community
  Affairs; and
                     (G)  the Texas Workforce Commission.
         (d)  The governor shall solicit nominations for the
  committee and select from among those nominated to the extent
  possible in order to meet the requirements of Subsection (c).
         (e)  The committee shall advise the comptroller by
  identifying:
               (1)  opportunities for workforce development and
  training related to energy efficiency measures, renewable energy,
  and other clean energy technologies, with specific focus on
  training and workforce opportunities for individuals from
  disadvantaged communities and other groups that may be
  underrepresented in the workforce, including veterans, women, and
  formerly incarcerated persons;
               (2)  industries that use large amounts of energy and
  trades related to those industries;
               (3)  impacts of the transition to the use of clean
  energy sources on each sector of the state's workforce and ways to
  maximize the skills and expertise of workers throughout the
  transition;
               (4)  sites of electric generating facilities that may
  be closed as a result of the transition to the use of clean energy
  sources and the issues and opportunities presented by reuse of
  those sites;
               (5)  potential effects of state or federal greenhouse
  gas emissions limits on state industries and local communities,
  including the impact of any potential carbon reduction measures on
  the competitiveness of state business and industry; and
               (6)  any other matters relevant to the workforce of the
  state with regard to the transition to the use of clean energy
  sources.
         (f)  The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the
  State Energy Conservation Office shall provide the committee with
  facilities, data, and other assistance necessary for the committee
  to carry out its duties under this section.  A state agency or
  political subdivision of this state shall provide the committee
  with facilities, data, and other assistance as requested by the
  committee to carry out its duties under this section.
         (g)  The committee may enter into an interagency agreement
  with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Public
  Utility Commission of Texas, the Railroad Commission of Texas, the
  Texas Workforce Commission, or another state agency for technical
  advice or assistance as necessary to complete the requirements of
  this section.
         SECTION 2.  (a)  Not later than December 1, 2022, the
  comptroller, with the advice of the Committee on Economic
  Development and Workforce Retraining in the Clean Energy
  Transition, shall prepare a report on the effects and opportunities
  of the transition to clean energy, including:
               (1)  issues and opportunities related to industries
  that use large amounts of energy and trades associated with those
  industries;
               (2)  clean energy workforce development for:
                     (A)  workers in industries that may be negatively
  affected by the transition to the use of clean energy sources; and
                     (B)  disadvantaged communities and other segments
  of the population that are underrepresented in the state's
  workforce;
               (3)  measures to minimize the loss of jobs and industry
  that would be associated with the imposition of any potential
  greenhouse gas emissions reduction policies or other energy sector
  mandates related to greenhouse gases;
               (4)  the number of jobs that have been created to
  counter climate change, including in the energy, building,
  transportation, and working lands sectors;
               (5)  the projection of the inventory of jobs needed and
  the skills and training required to meet the demand of jobs to
  counter climate change; and
               (6)  other issues related to workforce disruption due
  to community transitions from an economy based on fossil fuels.
         (b)  The comptroller shall make the report described by
  Subsection (a) of this section available to the public on the
  comptroller's Internet website and deliver the report to:
               (1)  the governor;
               (2)  the lieutenant governor;
               (3)  the speaker of the house of representatives; and
               (4)  the chair and vice chair of the:
                     (A)  House Environmental Regulation Committee;
                     (B)  House State Affairs Committee;
                     (C)  Senate Natural Resources Committee; and
                     (D)  Senate Business and Commerce Committee.
         (c)  This section expires September 1, 2023.
         SECTION 3.  Not later than December 1, 2021, the governor
  shall make the appointments to the Committee on Economic
  Development and Workforce Retraining in the Clean Energy Transition
  as required by Section 403.0285, Government Code, as added by this
  Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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