By: Menéndez S.B. No. 238
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the installment of electric school buses and solar
  panels in Texas public schools.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
                     ARTICLE 1: FINDING AND PURPOSE
         SECTION 1.01.  LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.  The
  legislature finds that:
         (1) The legislature is committed to ensuring federal funding
  and state resources are equitably allocated to prevent a disaster
  such as Winter Storm Uri from occurring once again.
         (2) The legislature equally commits to reviewing and
  utilizing efficient methods such as battery storage and
  dispatchable energy, to the best of its ability to ensure all Texas
  residents have access to energy in the case of another state
  disaster.
         (3) The legislature finds that public school facilities are
  in a unique position because of the hours of operation to serve as
  an energy storage facility.  Solar panels can be installed on these
  public schools and electric school buses may be reliable form for
  energy to be stored, distributed, and reserved daily and/or
  dispatched in case of an emergency.
         (4) The legislature is committed to appropriating funds to
  assist in the updated infrastructure of our public schools and to
  ensure the reliability of the Texas grid.
         (5) The federal government has created new programs and tax
  credits allowing public schools to benefit from the use of electric
  school buses and clean energy measures such as solar panels.  These
  benefits include nearly $5 billion dollars to replace school buses
  with electric models.  Additionally, there are at least 51 Texas
  projects amounting to $164 million that have been waitlisted,
  demonstrating a strong interest and need for assistance in applying
  for these methods.
         (6) The legislature understands that in a state of disaster
  public schools may be able to serve as an emergency shelter because
  of the storage generated by the electric school buses and solar
  panels on public schools.
         ARTICLE 2: USE OF THE STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE
         SECTION 2. Sec. 447.002. and 447.003., Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 447.002.  INFORMATION; PROCEDURES AND RULES; MEASURES
  AND PROGRAMS.  (a)  The state energy conservation office shall
  develop and provide energy and water conservation information for
  the state.
          (b)  The state energy conservation office may establish
  procedures and adopt rules relating to the development and
  implementation of energy and water conservation measures and
  programs applicable to state buildings and facilities.
          (c)  A procedure established or a rule adopted under
  Subsection (b) may include provisions relating to:
          (1)  the retrofitting of existing state buildings and
  facilities with energy-saving or water-saving devices; and
          (2)  the energy-related or water-related renovation of
  those buildings and facilities; and
          (3)  assistance to public school districts to submit
  applications for federal and state funding for the installation and
  purchase of electric school buses and solar panels in public
  schools.
         Sec. 447.003.  LIAISON TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.  The state
  energy conservation office is the state liaison to the federal
  government for the implementation and administration of federal
  programs relating to state agency energy matters.  The office shall
  administer state programs established under:
         (1) Part D, Title III, Energy Policy and Conservation Act
  (42 U.S.C. Section 6321 et seq.), and its subsequent amendments;
         (2) Part G, Title III, Energy Policy and Conservation Act
  (42 U.S.C. Section 6371 et seq.), and its subsequent amendments;
  and
         (3) other federal energy conservation programs including the
  Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs
  Act, and other state sources of funding as assigned to the office by
  the governor or the legislature.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.