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SB-189 Clean Energy and Low-Carbon Economic and Jobs Growth Blue Ribbon Committee.(2015-2016)

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SB189:v95#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  August 17, 2015
Amended  IN  Assembly  June 29, 2015
Amended  IN  Senate  June 01, 2015
Amended  IN  Senate  March 26, 2015

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2015–2016 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill
No. 189

Introduced by Senator Hueso

February 09, 2015

An act to add Section 12893.5 to the Government Code, relating to clean energy development.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 189, as amended, Hueso. Clean Energy and Low-Carbon Economic and Jobs Growth Blue Ribbon Committee.
Existing law requires specified state agencies to prepare and submit to the Secretary for Environmental Protection specified information relating to the state agency’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including a list of measures adopted and implemented by the agency to meet GHG emission reduction targets, as defined, and a status report on GHG emissions reduced as a result of these measures. Existing law further requires the California Environmental Protection Agency to provide that information on its Internet Web site in the form of a state agency GHG emission reduction report card.
This bill would create the Clean Energy and Low-Carbon Economic and Jobs Growth Blue Ribbon Committee in the California Environmental Protection Agency, comprising 7 members appointed by the Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Senate Committee on Rules, as provided. The bill would prescribe the terms and qualifications of committee members and would require the committee to hold its first meeting on or before December 1, 2016. The bill would require that any member who fails to attend 3 committee meetings in one calendar year be deemed removed from the committee, and would require the appointing power for that member to appoint a new member to fill the vacancy. The bill would require the committee to advise state agencies on the most effective ways to expend clean energy and GHG-related funds and implement policies in order to maximize California’s economic and employment benefits, and to take specified actions in that regard.
This bill would also require the committee to provide an annual update to the Governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on its activities, as provided. The bill would require each state agency that has received advice from the committee to submit an annual progress report to the Governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature describing how it implemented or responded to the advice, guidance, and recommendations of the committee.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) Numerous analyses have shown that California’s world leadership in clean energy and greenhouse gas emission reductions law and policy has led to major employment and economic benefits as well as to significant environmental and public health benefits.
(1) In December 2014, the Advanced Energy Economy Institute issued a report entitled “California Advanced Energy Employment Survey,” which showed that state advanced energy policies have created over 430,000 jobs, an increase of 5 percent over 2013.
(2) That report further showed that California was number one in installed solar capacity and solar jobs, number one in total advanced energy investment, number one in electric vehicle sales, and number two in energy efficiency.
(b) In order to ensure that California’s clean energy and climate programs are optimized for maximum economic benefit and job creation, the State Air Resources Board, the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, and the Public Utilities Commission have all created advisory committees to help them better understand the implications of their clean energy and climate policies.
(c) The purpose of this act is to create a single independent blue ribbon committee to provide advice to these and other agencies on the most effective ways to maximize California’s economic benefits and jobs growth via actions and investments in a cleaner, low-carbon economy.

SEC. 2.

 Section 12893.5 is added to the Government Code, to read:

12893.5.
 (a) The Clean Energy and Low-Carbon Economic and Jobs Growth Blue Ribbon Committee is hereby created in the agency.
(b) (1) The committee shall consist of the following members:
(A) Five members appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate.
(B) One member each appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Committee on Rules.
(2) Each member shall be appointed to a term of four years. Any member who fails to attend three committee meetings in one calendar year shall be deemed removed from the committee, and the appointing power for that member shall appoint a new member to fill the vacancy.
(3) Committee members shall not receive per diem or other similar compensation for serving as a committee member, but may receive reimbursement for actual expenses incurred in connection with the performance of their duties.
(c) The committee shall hold its first meeting on or before December 1, 2016. Meetings shall be held quarterly, or at a frequency deemed appropriate by the members. Members may attend a meeting either in person or by teleconference or Web conference.
(d) The committee shall consist solely of persons with expertise in economic, financial, or policy aspects of clean energy economic growth, job creation, workforce standards, or employment opportunities for disadvantaged workers. At least two members of the committee appointed by the Governor shall have experience working on economic projects in disadvantaged communities.
(e) (1) The committee shall advise state agencies on the most effective ways to expend clean energy and greenhouse gas-related funds and to implement policies in order to maximize California’s economic and employment benefits. The committee shall also do all of the following:
(A) Develop guidance for tracking and reporting jobs outcomes for state clean energy and low-carbon investments and use this information to evaluate jobs outcomes.
(B) Develop guidance to measure the quantity and quality of jobs created by state investments in clean energy and low-carbon investments, as well as guidance to measure the geographic and demographic distribution of those jobs.
(C) Advise state agencies on the most effective ways to require responsible contractor standards, as applicable, and minimum training and skill certifications for workers to ensure high-quality work for state clean energy and low-carbon investments, and the most effective ways to connect disadvantaged communities and other target populations to good quality jobs and career pathways created by those investments.
(D) Advise state agencies on the most effective ways to align state clean energy and low-carbon training funds with existing state workforce development investments and strategies.
(2) For purposes of this subdivision, “state agency” means any board, commission, department, or other agency of the state.
(3) The committee shall consult with the Labor and Workforce Development Agency and the California Workforce Investment Board, when appropriate, in implementing this subdivision.
(f) The committee shall provide an annual update to the Governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on its activities.
(g) (1) The State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission, the Public Utilities Commission, the State Air Resources Board, and any other state agency that has received advice from the committee shall submit an annual progress report to the Governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature describing how it implemented or responded to the advice, guidance, and any recommendations provided by the committee pursuant to the requirements of subdivision (d). (e).
(2) The annual progress report required by paragraph (1) may be included in any other annual report the state agency is required to provide to the Governor and the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature, if it is feasible for the agency to do so.
(3) This subdivision shall be inoperative on January 1, 2021, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code. 10231.5.