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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of an energy efficiency program for |
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school districts and open-enrollment charter schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 447.003, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 447.003. LIAISON TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. The state |
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energy conservation office is the state liaison to the federal |
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government for the implementation and administration of federal |
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programs relating to state agency energy matters. The office shall |
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administer state programs established under: |
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(1) Part D, Title III, Energy Policy and Conservation |
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Act (42 U.S.C. Section 6321 et seq.), and its subsequent |
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amendments; |
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(2) Part G, Title III, Energy Policy and Conservation |
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Act (42 U.S.C. Section 6371 et seq.), and its subsequent |
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amendments; [and] |
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(3) the Clean School Bus Program and other energy |
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conservation, resilience, and reliability programs established by |
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the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58), and |
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its subsequent amendments; and |
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(4) other federal energy conservation programs as |
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assigned to the office by the governor or the legislature. |
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SECTION 2. Section 2305.031, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 2305.031. OIL OVERCHARGE PROGRAMS. (a) The energy |
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office shall maintain a revolving loan program for the benefit of: |
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(1) state agencies, universities, and political |
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subdivisions; and |
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(2) open-enrollment charter schools for the purposes |
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of Section 2305.040. |
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(b) The energy office shall use oil overcharge funds for the |
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programs and purposes in this subchapter. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 2305, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 2305.040 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2305.040. ENERGY EFFICIENT SCHOOLS PROGRAM. (a) In |
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this section, "bus" has the meaning assigned by Section 34.015(a), |
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Education Code. |
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(b) The energy efficient schools program is a program to |
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promote, facilitate, and support the use of electric buses and |
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solar panels in public schools and open-enrollment charter schools |
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through grants, partnerships, and loans. |
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(c) The energy office is the supervising agency for the |
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energy efficient schools program. |
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(d) A project funded under the energy efficient schools |
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program may include: |
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(1) the acquisition of electric buses and charging |
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stations by school districts and open-enrollment charter schools; |
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(2) the acquisition of solar panels for school |
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campuses by school districts and open-enrollment charter schools; |
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and |
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(3) electricity storage projects to provide efficient |
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means of making stored energy available during periods of peak |
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energy use, including: |
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(A) projects to store electricity in buses; and |
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(B) projects to store electricity produced from |
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solar generation. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |