BILL NUMBER: AB 2944 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 18, 2002
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 22, 2002
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Kehoe
FEBRUARY 25, 2002
An act to add and repeal Section 25407 of the Public
Resources Code, relating to energy conservation and
development.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2944, as amended, Kehoe. Energy conservation and development:
San Diego Solar Streetlights Pilot Program.
Existing
(1) Existing law establishes the State Energy Resources
Conservation and Development Commission within the Resources Agency,
with powers and responsibilities that include the development of
alternative renewable sources of energy.
This bill would establish, until January 1, 2006, the San Diego
Solar Streetlights Pilot Program to educate the public on the
feasibility of solar energy systems and to encourage greater use of
solar energy systems in both commercial and residential applications.
The bill would require the commission City
of San Diego, if successful in effectuating the pilot project,
to report to the Governor and the Legislature
commission on the pilot program . ,
and thus would impose a state-mandated local program.
(2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse
local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement, including the creation of a State Mandates Claims Fund
to pay the costs of mandates that do not exceed $1,000,000 statewide
and other procedures for claims whose statewide costs exceed
$1,000,000.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no yes .
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) It is in the best interests of the people of this state that
the quality of life of its citizens be improved by providing
environmentally sound, safe, reliable, and affordable energy services
and products.
(b) It is in the best interests of the people of this state to
reduce our reliance upon electrical corporations and
electricity generated by thermal powerplants.
(c) It is in the best interests of the people of this state to
encourage the use of alternative energy sources, including solar
energy systems, as a means of reducing that reliance.
(d) Pilot programs demonstrating to the public both the
feasibility and reliability of alternative energy sources are an
effective means to encourage the public to use solar energy systems.
SEC. 2. Section 25407 is added to the Public Resources Code, to
read:
25407.
SEC. 2. (a) The San Diego Solar Streetlights Pilot Program
is hereby established to educate the public on the feasibility of
solar energy systems as an alternative renewable energy source, and
to encourage greater use of solar energy systems in both commercial
and residential applications.
(b) The project shall utilize resources of California alternative
energy companies for a solar street lighting system for a portion of
the city not to exceed a six-block radius. "Street lighting system"
includes any or all appliances, poles, posts, electroliers,
transformers, lighting units, lamps, cables, wires, pipes, conduits,
and other suitable or necessary works or appliances for street
lighting purposes.
(c) The participating alternative energy companies shall, in
consideration of certain incentives to be devised by the City of San
Diego in concert with the alternative energy producers, donate the
physical plant and necessary infrastructure to bring the pilot
project into being. No state funds shall be encumbered in order to
conduct, or pay for, any part of the pilot program originally
undertaken or provided by any industry or business participant.
Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed as prohibiting the use
of federal funds, should they become available for purposes
consistent with this section or from preventing
the commission from using existing resources, to provide technical or
other assistance to the program.
(d) The industry or business participants of the pilot program may
be identified in public, provided the brands of products employed
shall not be identified, nor shall their use be deemed an endorsement
of any particular brand or proprietary approach to using alternative
energy.
(e) On or before January 1, 2005, the commission
if the City of San Diego is successful in effectuation
of the pilot project, the city shall report to the
Governor and the Legislature State Energy Resources
Conservation and Development Commission on the pilot program.
This report shall include, but is not limited to, an analysis of the
costs and benefits of equipment and materials used in the pilot
program, a discussion of the results obtained and a discussion of the
implications for statewide implementation of the program.
(f) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2006, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2006, deletes or extends
that date.
SEC. 3. Notwithstanding Section 17610 of the Government Code, if
the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains
costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and
school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7
(commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the
Government Code. If the statewide cost of the claim for
reimbursement does not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000),
reimbursement shall be made from the State Mandates Claims Fund.