Enrolled Bill Summary

            House Bill 2839 amends the Government Code to require the state energy conservation office to implement and maintain the Texas Energy Assistance Loan Program. The bill requires the energy office to develop and implement through the program a home buyer mortgage project, an energy efficiency improvement project, and an agricultural equipment mortgage project to make loans available to buyers purchasing certain energy efficient residential housing to property owners who are making energy efficiency improvements to existing housing, and to owners of agricultural equipment for the purpose of making energy efficiency improvements to the equipment, respectively. The bill requires the office to provide training and technical assistance in the conduct of energy efficiency ratings and the construction, design, and remodeling of energy-efficient housing, and to provide educational workshops or seminars for potential beneficiaries of the program. The bill also requires the office to establish a home rating and mortgage marketing project to promote the home rating system established in its voluntary participation guidelines. The bill requires the energy office to fund the Texas Energy Assistance Loan Program with funds available from the oil overcharge account.