TITLE: Relating to the establishment of an energy efficiency program for school districts and open-enrollment charter schools.

SUMMARY: Relating to the establishment of an energy efficiency program for school districts and open-enrollment charter schools.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the establishment of an energy efficiency program for school districts and open-enrollment charter schools. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 447.003, Government Code, is amended to read as follows: 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) the Clean School Bus Program and other energy conservation, resilience, and reliability programs established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Pub. L. No. 117-58), and its subsequent amendments; and (4) other federal energy conservation programs as assigned to the office by the governor or the legislature. SECTION 2. Section 2305.031, Government Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 2305.031. OIL OVERCHARGE PROGRAMS. (a) The energy office shall maintain a revolving loan program for the benefit of:(1) state agencies, universities, and political subdivisions;and (2) open-enrollment charter schools for the purposes of Section 2305.040.(b) The energy office shall use oil overcharge funds for the programs and purposes in this subchapter. SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 2305, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 2305.040 to read as follows: Sec. 2305.040. ENERGY EFFICIENT SCHOOLS PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "bus" means a bus operated by or contracted for use by a school district or open-enrollment charter school to transport schoolchildren. (b) The energy efficient schools program is a program to promote, facilitate, and support the use of electric buses and solar panels by school districts and open-enrollment charter schools through grants, partnerships, and loans. (c) The energy office is the supervising agency for the energy efficient schools program. (d) A project funded under the energy efficient schools program may include: (1) the acquisition of electric buses and charging stations by school districts and open-enrollment charter schools; (2) the acquisition of solar panels for school campuses by school districts and open-enrollment charter schools; and (3) electricity storage projects to provide efficient means of making stored energy available during periods of peak energy use, including: (A) projects to store electricity in buses; and (B) projects to store electricity produced from solar generation. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.