BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  AB 1881
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 24, 2002

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                              Darrell Steinberg, Chair

                AB 1881 (Pescetti) - As Introduced:  February 4, 2002 

          Policy Committee:                              Utilities and  
          Commerce     Vote:                            16-0
                        Natural Resources                     11-0  
          (Consent)

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill:

          1)Declares that it is also feasible to install solar energy  
            equipment at state buildings when adequate space exists  
            adjacent to a building, and not just on a building as  
            specified under recently passed legislation.  

          2)Expands the definition of solar energy equipment to be  
            evaluated for installation on state buildings to include solar  
            thermal and heating technologies, in addition to only  
            electricity generating equipment as specified under the same  
            legislation.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          This bill should not result in any additional costs.  Installing  
          solar energy equipment pursuant to this bill would be undertaken  
          only with available funds and in those locations where it is  
          determined to be feasible.  DGS indicates that it has surveyed  
          state facilities to assess the feasibility of energy efficiency  
          and alternative energy measures and is implementing the most  
          cost-effective measures to the extent funds are available.  

           COMMENTS  

           Background.   AB 1881 amends the provisions of last year's SB 82  
          X2 (Murray), which requires the Department of General Services  
          to ensure that solar energy equipment is installed on all state  








                                                                  AB 1881
                                                                  Page  2

          buildings and parking lots, where feasible, by January 2007, and  
          on all new state buildings commencing construction after January  
          2002.  In making the feasiblity determination, the department is  
          to take into account whether there is adequate space available  
          for the equipment and whether the equipment is cost-effective  
          and funding is available.  That measure will become operative 91  
          days after the 2001-02 Second Extraordinary Session is  
          adjourned.

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916) 319-2081