Menéndez Bill Names Environmental Agency The State’s Federal Energy Liaison

The text as introduced · 606 words

By: Menéndez
S.B. No. 799

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 TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL

QUALITY 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 Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

office shall develop and provide energy and water conservation

information for the state.

(b) The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality 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 Texas

Commission on Environmental Quality 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, 2025.