Bill Text: CA SB560 | 2021-2022 | Regular Session | Amended

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

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Bill Title: Climate Pollution Reduction in Homes Initiative: grants.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2022-08-11 - August 11 hearing: Held in committee and under submission. [SB560 Detail]

Download: California-2021-SB560-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Senate  May 04, 2021

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 560

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Introduced by Senator Rubio

February 18, 2021

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An act to add Chapter 5.4 (commencing with Section 25440) to Division 15 of the Public Resources Code, Section 12087.50 to the Government Code, relating to energy.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 560, as amended, Rubio. Climate Pollution Reduction in Homes Initiative: grants.

Existing law establishes programs designed to provide long-term reductions in energy consumption by low-income household dwelling units, including assistance for the purchase of energy-efficient appliances. The Energy Conservation Act of 2001 requires the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission to establish a grant program to provide financial assistance to eligible low-income individuals for constructing and retrofitting buildings to be more energy efficient by using design elements, including, among other things, the use of products certified by the commission as energy-efficient zone heating products.

Existing law requires the Department of Community Services and Development to develop and administer the Energy Efficiency Low-Income Weatherization Program, and authorizes the department to develop requirements, guidelines, and subgrantee contract provisions for the program. Existing law requires the department to identify best practices from model programs and funding mechanisms. Existing law requires the department to provide a recommended action plan to promote projects that include energy improvements, create mechanisms for enforcing state energy upgrade program requirements to maintain the affordability of benefiting units to low-income tenants, and ensure greater cross-referral between public health agencies and the program for purposes of comprehensive energy and healthy home improvements for low-income multifamily residents in disadvantaged communities.

This bill would establish the Climate Pollution Reduction in Homes Initiative. The bill would require the commission department, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, to administer the initiative to provide award grants for projects, including, but not limited to, those that local service providers, as defined, to provide financial assistance to low-income households households, as defined, for the purchase of zero-carbon-emitting appliances and low-income weatherization projects to improve air quality and public health in low-income communities. The bill would define “low-income household” and “low-income community” for purposes of the initiative. appliances. The bill would require the department to develop guidelines for the initiative, as specified. The bill would authorize local service providers to use those grant moneys for outreach and technical assistance, rebates, loans, installation, educational information, and other support services to assist low-income households.

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.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) The state is a global leader in greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, including establishing state policies to return to 1990 greenhouse gas emissions levels by 2020, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions levels to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.

(b) Energy use in buildings is responsible for 25 percent of all emissions of greenhouse gases in the state and contributes to indoor and outdoor air pollution.

(c) Low-income communities across the state have disproportionately shouldered high energy costs and the burdens of poor air quality.

(d) Reducing home energy use through energy efficiency measures, weatherization, measures and retrofitting appliances simultaneously reduces residential energy expenses and harmful emissions, thereby improving economic security and indoor air quality, particularly in low-income communities.

SEC. 2.Chapter 5.4 (commencing with Section 25440) is added to Division 15 of the Public Resources Code, to read:

5.4.Climate Pollution Reduction in Homes Initiative

25440.

For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:

(a)“Initiative” means the Climate Pollution Reduction in Homes Initiative.

(b)“Low-income community” means a census tract where the median income of households in the census tract is at or below 60 percent of the statewide median income.

(c)“Low-income household” means a person or family with a household income at or below 60 percent of the statewide median income.

(d)“Public safety power shutoff” means a preventative measure to deenergize all, or a portion, of an electric generation, distribution, or transmission system when the electricity provider reasonably believes there is an imminent and significant risk that strong winds, or other extreme and potentially dangerous weather events, increase the probability of a wildfire.

25441.

The

SEC. 2.

 Section 12087.50 is added to the Government Code, to read:

12087.50.

 (a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Department” means the Department of Community Services and Development.

(2) “Initiative” means the Climate Pollution Reduction in Homes Initiative.

(3) “Local service provider” has the same meaning as defined in Section 16367.5.

(4) “Low-income household” means a person or family with a household income at or below 60 percent of the statewide median income, including such a person or family in a multiunit dwelling.

(b) The Climate Pollution Reduction in Homes Initiative is hereby established. The initiative shall be administrated administered by the commission department, in consultation with the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, to provide award grants for any of the following:

(a)The development and implementation of projects in furtherance of Section 921.1 of the Public Utilities Code.

(b)Projects that improve energy efficiency and weatherization, provide for local service providers to provide financial assistance to low-income households for the purchase of zero-carbon-emitting appliances and auxiliary infrastructure, and support planning and technology to address public safety power shutoffs. The commission will expend appliances.

(c) For purposes of implementing the initiative, the department shall develop guidelines that do all of the following:

(1) Provide for the expenditure of grant funds using by local service providers, as defined in Section 16367.5 of the Government Code, providers to ensure expeditious delivery of funds financial assistance to low-income households.

(c)Low-income weatherization projects consistent with Section 12087.5 of the Government Code to improve air quality and public health in low-income communities.

(2) Specify criteria for which appliances, which may include water heaters, stoves and cooking appliances, home heating and cooling systems, refrigerator and freezers, and washers and dryers, are eligible for financial assistance.

(3) Ensure the initiative provides safe and reliable appliances that stabilize the utility bills of low-income households.

(d) (1) A local service provider may use grant moneys for outreach and technical assistance, rebates, loans, installation, educational information, and other support services to assist low-income households.

(2) A local service provider may authorize up to 20 percent of the financial assistance provided to a low-income household to be used on electrical upgrades to the low-income household’s property to support the installation of a zero-carbon-emitting appliance.