Energy efficiency: renewable energy resources: energy affordability.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has regulatory authority over public utilities, including electrical corporations and gas corporations. Existing law requires the PUC to supervise certain low-income targeted energy efficiency programs and rate assistance programs administered by electrical corporations, gas corporations, or 3rd-party administrators. Existing law requires the PUC to ensure that not less than 10% of the funds for the California Solar Initiative are utilized for the installation of solar energy systems, as defined, on low-income residential housing, as defined. Pursuant to this requirement, the PUC adopted decisions that established the Single-Family Affordable Solar Homes Program (SASH) and the Multifamily Affordable Solar Housing Program (MASH) , pursuant to which the electrical corporations provide monetary incentives for the installation of solar energy systems on low-income residential housing. The SASH and MASH programs will operate until December 31, 2021, or until funds collected for those purposes are exhausted, whichever occurs sooner. The Warren-Alquist State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Act establishes the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) with various responsibilities with respect to developing and implementing the state's energy policies. Existing law requires the Energy Commission, by January 1, 2017, to complete a study on barriers to, and opportunities for, solar photovoltaic energy generation as well as barriers to, and opportunities for, access to other renewable energy by low-income customers and barriers to contracting opportunities for local small businesses in disadvantaged communities. Existing law additionally requires the Energy Commission, by January 1, 2017, to develop and publish a study on barriers for low-income customers to energy efficiency and weatherization investments, including those in disadvantaged communities, as well as recommendations on how to increase access to energy efficiency and weatherization investments to low-income customers. Existing law requires the Energy Commission, beginning November 1, 2003, and every 2 years thereafter, to adopt an integrated energy policy report which includes an overview of major energy trends and issues facing the state, including supply, demand, pricing, reliability, efficiency, and impacts on public health and safety, the economy, resources, and the environment. Under existing law, the Department of Community Services and Development administers certain low-income energy programs, including the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) , the federal Weatherization Assistance Program, and the Energy Efficiency Low-Income Weatherization Program. Existing law requires a local publicly owned electric utility to streamline enrollment for low-income programs by collaborating with existing providers for the LIHEAP and other electric or gas providers within the same service territory. Existing federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing law establishes the State Utility Assistance Subsidy, a state-funded energy assistance program to provide energy assistance benefits to eligible CalFresh households so that each may receive a standard utility allowance to be used to help meet its energy costs and receive information about energy efficiency. To the extent required by federal law, existing law requires the Department of Community Services and Development to delegate authority over the program to the State Department of Social Services. This bill, on or before January 1, 2019, would require the Energy Commission to organize a working group with the PUC, the Department of Community Services and Development, the State Department of Social Services, energy utilities, as defined, 3rd-party administrators, as defined, and representatives of community-based organizations or other entities involved in outreach for, or implementation of, the various state and state-supervised programs that are targeted toward low-income consumers and disadvantaged communities, including programs to promote energy efficiency, including weatherization, programs to promote utilization of renewable energy resources, and rate assistance programs. The bill would designate the Energy Commission to be the lead agency in organizing the working group and scheduling meetings of the working group. The bill, commencing July 1, 2019, would require the working group to evaluate the effectiveness of energy programs that are targeted toward low-income consumers and disadvantaged communities, including programs to promote energy efficiency, including weatherization, programs to promote utilization of renewable energy resources, and rate assistance programs and to hold at least 2 meetings per year at which stakeholders and the public may comment on proposed improvements to a program. If the working group determines that legislative action is desirable to improve access to, or participation in, any program, or to improve the effectiveness of any program in any other aspect, the working group would be required to make recommendations to the Legislature for changes to improve the program. This bill would require each energy utility and 3rd-party administrator to provide the Energy Commission with that information requested by the Energy Commission concerning their respective programs that are targeted toward low-income consumers and disadvantaged communities to promote energy efficiency, promote utilization of renewable energy resources, provide electric vehicle charging infrastructure, or provide rate assistance, as specified. The bill would require the Energy Commission to include a summary of this information in its biennial integrated energy policy report. By imposing requirements that would be applicable to local publicly owned electric and gas utilities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would require the Energy Commission, the Department of Community Services and Development, and the State Department of Social Services, in consultation with the PUC, to jointly develop standardized data reporting requirements for state-administered energy programs that are targeted toward low-income consumers and disadvantaged communities, including programs to promote energy efficiency, programs to promote utilization of renewable energy resources, programs to provide electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and rate assistance programs. The bill would require that the data include specified information and be reported to the Energy Commission. The bill would require the Energy Commission to develop a database of the aggregate data, broken down by ZIP Code or other available organizational means, make the database available on its Internet Web site, and include a summary of the data in a specified integrated energy policy report. The bill would require the database to enable the Energy Commission to respond accurately to the public as to the results of programs to promote energy efficiency, promote utilization of renewable energy resources, provide electric vehicle charging infrastructure, or provide rate assistance, in regard to low-income consumers and disadvantaged communities. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.