By Eiland H.B. No. 3471
Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the administration of oil overcharge funds.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapters D and E, Chapter 2305, Government
1-5 Code, are repealed and a new Subchapter D is added to read as
1-6 follows:
1-7 SUBCHAPTER D. GRANT PROGRAMS
1-8 Sec. 2305.031. GRANT PROGRAMS. The governor and the energy
1-9 office of the General Services Commission may use direct and
1-10 competitive grant programs to finance projects in compliance with
1-11 state and federal laws and regulations to conserve energy, provide
1-12 restitution, and accomplish the other purposes for which oil
1-13 overcharge funds are provided. The programs may include the
1-14 following:
1-15 (1) the state energy program, for projects that
1-16 promote conservation and save measurable quantities of energy;
1-17 (2) the state agencies program, for projects that
1-18 promote energy conservation in state agencies, including training,
1-19 performance contracting, energy efficient design assistance and
1-20 similar activities;
1-21 (3) the alternative fuels program, for projects that
1-22 promote, facilitate, and support the use of alternative fuels in
2-1 the state;
2-2 (4) the housing partnership program, for projects that
2-3 promote the efficient use of energy in Texas residential housing
2-4 through grants, partnerships, and loans;
2-5 (5) the Loanstar revolving loan program, to make low
2-6 interest loans to state agencies and political subdivisions for
2-7 energy-saving capital improvements;
2-8 (6) the renewable energy demonstration program, for
2-9 demonstration projects that promote sustainability and the
2-10 development of renewable energy resources;
2-11 (7) the local government energy program, for projects
2-12 providing energy management assistance to local governments and
2-13 political subdivisions;
2-14 (8) the transportation energy program, for projects
2-15 relating to mass transit and other transportation services; and
2-16 (9) other programs that promote the purposes of the
2-17 Act.
2-18 Sec. 2305.032. LOANSTAR REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM. (a) The
2-19 Loanstar revolving loan program shall be used to provide
2-20 low-interest loans to state agencies, including institutions of
2-21 higher education, and political subdivisions of the state for
2-22 energy-saving capital improvements.
2-23 (b) The energy office of the General Services Commission is
2-24 the supervising state agency for the program and shall make loans
2-25 through a competitive process to finance energy conservation
2-26 projects. The energy office shall determine the terms under which
2-27 a loan may be made and shall set the interest rate for each loan at
3-1 a rate sufficient to recover the cost of administering the loan
3-2 program.
3-3 Sec. 2305.032. FUNDING FOR LOANSTAR PROGRAM. The energy
3-4 office shall allocate at least $95 million, including loan
3-5 commitments and cash on hand, to the Loanstar program, and shall
3-6 administer the funds under its control in such a way as to assure
3-7 that funds available to the Loanstar program equal or exceed $95
3-8 million at all times.
3-9 SECTION 2. Section 2305.013, Government Code, is repealed.
3-10 SECTION 3. (a) This Act takes effect on September 1, 1997.
3-11 (b) The change in law made by this Act does not affect taxes
3-12 or contracts in existence before the effective date of this Act,
3-13 and the law in effect before the effective date of the Act is
3-14 continued in effect for purposes of the existing contracts and for
3-15 the liability and collection of taxes.
3-16 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
3-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.