BILL ANALYSIS
Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
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| |1574(Lowenthal) |
|-------------------------------+----------------------------|
| | |
|-------------------------------+----------------------------|
|Hearing Date: 9/6/01 |Amended: 8/23/01 and |
| |proposed to be amended |
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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: SUSPENSE FILE. Current law requires the
CEC to adopt energy conservation standards for lighting,
heating and air conditioning, and other systems, for new
residences.
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.
As proposed to be amended, the bill would allow CEC to post
the measures on its website, and to provide the information
to homeowners, 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.