BILL ANALYSIS
Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
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| |1574(Lowenthal) |
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|Hearing Date: 8/27/01 |Amended: 8/23/01 |
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|Consultant: Lisa Matocq |Policy Vote: E, U & C |
| |6-0 |
| | |
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BILL SUMMARY: AB 1574 authorizes the California Energy
Commission (CEC) to develop measures to enhance energy
efficiency for homes that were built prior to the
establishment of the current energy efficiency standards,
and makes related changes.
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2001-02 2002-03
2003-04 Fund
CEC Potential costs of $250-500
General
STAFF COMMENTS: This bill meets the criteria for referral
to the Suspense File if the CEC develops the measures.
Current law requires the CEC to adopt energy conservation
standards for lighting, heating and air conditioning, and
other systems, for new residences.
STAFF NOTES that there is no due date for the CEC to
develop the new energy efficiency measures.
The bill provides that a home inspection may include an
energy efficiency component if requested by the buyer or
seller. In addition, it specifies that an inspector
certified by the statewide home energy rating program,
administered by the CEC, may perform the inspection. Staff
notes that program is not yet developed by the CEC and may
not be for a year or more. The bill specifies that an
uncertified inspector may refer the person to one of a
number of other entities, such as a municipal utility, for
home energy efficiency program information.
The bill also states that, "The measures shall provide a
homeowner with information to improve the energy efficiency
of a single-family residential dwelling". STAFF RECOMMENDS
that this provision be amended to clarify whether CEC would
be required to, for example, mail information to all
homeowners, post the measures on its website, or simply
make the information available, upon request.
SB 37xx (Brulte), pending in this committee, requires the
CEC to identify ways to reduce wasteful peak load energy
consumption. SB 1085 (Bowen) pending in the Assembly,
requires new public buildings to exceed the minimum
building energy efficiency standards, provided the measures
are cost-effective. AB 29x (Kehoe, Ch. 8, St. of 2001),
among other things, requires the Department of General
Services to identify each state building where it is
feasible to reduce energy consumption and achieve energy
efficiencies. AB 549 (Longville), on this committee's
suspense file, appropriates $500,000 from the General Fund
to the CEC to develop a plan to reduce wasteful peak load
energy consumption.