CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2011–2012 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Joint Resolution
No. 11
Introduced by
Senator
Padilla
(Coauthor(s):
Senator
Pavley, Rubio, Steinberg)
(Coauthor(s):
Assembly Member
Bradford, Chesbro, Huffman)
|
July 11, 2011 |
Relative to energy efficiency standards.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SJR 11, as introduced, Padilla.
Energy efficiency standards: light bulbs.
This measure would urge the California delegation in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate to vote against any proposed legislation, including HR 2417, that would weaken federal energy efficiency standards or constrain California’s long-recognized authority to enact its own standards to promote energy efficiency.
Digest Key
Fiscal Committee:
NO WHEREAS, California has provided national and international leadership on energy efficiency standards for decades, resulting in tens of billions of dollars in utility bill savings for its citizens; and
WHEREAS, Effective January 1, 2011, which is a year earlier than the rest of the nation, California began implementing California state standards that require light bulbs to be 30 percent more efficient; and
WHEREAS, The same standards adopted by California were enacted nationally by Congress and will go into effect on January 1, 2012; and
WHEREAS, It is estimated that California’s early implementation of these standards will avoid the sale of 10.5 million inefficient bulbs that would cost consumers $36,500,000 in unnecessarily higher electricity bills; and
WHEREAS, Some Members of the United States Congress are now trying to roll back or repeal highly cost-effective efficiency standards on lighting and other equipment; and
WHEREAS, House Resolution 2417 (H.R. 2417), introduced in the 112th Congress on July 6, 2011, by Representative Joe Barton (R-Texas), would repeal sections of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-140) that adopt the federal light bulb energy efficiency standard and would expressly invalidate California’s light bulb energy efficiency standard; and
WHEREAS, H.R. 2417 would strip California of its authority to implement energy efficiency standards that it has determined will reduce energy consumption and lower utility bills; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate and the Assembly of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature of the State of California strongly urges the California delegation in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate to vote against any legislation, including H.R. 2417, that would weaken federal energy efficiency standards or constrain California’s long-recognized authority to enact its own standards to promote energy efficiency and protect compelling economic and environmental interests of its citizens; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the President and the Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the author for appropriate distribution.