What's happening
This bill establishes a program to streamline and expedite the approval process for school energy efficiency projects in New York.
Why it matters
Prioritizes energy efficiency projects. By requiring these projects to be reviewed separately from other capital improvements, the bill aims to ensure that energy upgrades in schools are not delayed by unrelated construction or renovation requests.
Potential cost savings for schools. Reducing bureaucratic delays could allow schools to implement energy-saving measures sooner, potentially lowering utility bills and freeing up funds for educational purposes.
Accountability and transparency. The bill mandates a formal proposal and a public report from the education department, increasing oversight over how energy efficiency projects are approved and highlighting any further legislative needs to improve the process.
Encourages future legislative and administrative action. By requiring an assessment of whether new laws are needed, the bill opens the door for ongoing improvements and investments in school infrastructure efficiency.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Streamline School Energy Upgrades
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3290
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 5, 2019
Introduced by Sen. RANZENHOFER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT establishing the school energy efficiency program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Legislative intent. At a cost annually of over $1 billion dollars in utility costs, the energy costs for public schools in New York need to be addressed to reduce such escalating costs and to allow for a redirection of such expenditures to improve academic performance in our state. The legislature therefore finds that New York state should conduct a review of the project approval process to determine how best to expedite the start of construction and implementation of school energy efficiency projects. Currently, energy projects are reviewed by the same group at the New York state education department that is also responsible for reviewing critical school district capital projects. The process review should focus on how a higher priority might be given to energy efficiency projects while at the same time ensuring that mission-critical capital projects are not delayed. Pursuing all cost-effective energy efficiency in New York state schools will require that many more projects will need to be approved annually than have ever been in the past. A streamlined, transparent, and efficient review and approval process is a necessary component of an increased effort to promote energy efficiency projects in schools.
§ 2. School energy efficiency program. 1. Establishment. There is hereby established the school energy efficiency program. Under this program, the department shall construct a proposal to streamline the approval process for eligible entities pursuing the installation of energy efficiency projects.
2. Proposal requirements. The department through this program shall:
a. demonstrate how energy efficiency project approval requests will be processed separately from all other capital improvement applications;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01699-01-9
S. 3290 2
b. set a specific date for when the streamlined approval process shall be in place; and
c. determine if any legislative action is necessary to make the streamlined approval process operational.
3. Report. The department shall report its findings, conclusions and recommendations to the governor, majority leader of the senate and the speaker of the assembly by January 1, 2021.
4. Definitions. For purposes of this program the following terms shall have the following meanings:
a. "Department" shall mean the New York state education department.
b. "Eligible entity" shall mean any public elementary or secondary school located in New York state.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act establishing the school energy efficiency program
Purpose
This legislation will streamline the process for approving school energy efficiency projects submitted for review and approval to the State Education Department.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Legislative intent.
Section 2. A school energy efficiency program will be established to streamline the approval process for eligible entities pursuing the installation of energy efficiency projects. The New York State Education Department (SED) will delineate how energy efficiency project approval requests will be processed separately from all other capital improvement applications. SED must provide a specific date for such a process to be in place. A report to the Governor and Legislature on how it will manage such project reviews and approvals, including any legislative action that might be required, is due by January 1, 2021.
Section 3. Effective date.
Justification
Each year, over $1 billion dollars are spent on energy costs by school districts all across New York State. Costs vary by school districts with smaller school districts incurring costs of several million dollars per year and larger school districts, like New York City, have costs total- ing over $300 million per year to heat and light their school buildings.
As energy costs continue to rise and as school budgets are facing increasing constraints leading to cuts in enrichment programs, increased class sizes, reduction of support staff and cuts in teaching staff, it is important that practical and tangible opportunities to institute cost savings are given our highest priority.
Currently schools looking to reduce their energy costs by putting in place energy efficiency technologies have to wait for a long approval process by the State Education Department because these energy efficien- cy improvements are reviewed by the same team that reviews and approves larger capital Improvement programs. this legislation seeks to stream- line the review and approval for energy efficiency projects submitted for review by school districts. There is no fiscal impact created by this legislation. Rather, SED has been asked to set up a review process within their existing division of duties of the employees assigned to review capital projects submitted for approval. SED has been asked to establish the streamline process by January 1, 2021 and to report to the Governor and the Legislature on how the new streamline process will work.
In 2012, the Legislature authorized and the Governor approved a review of how new energy efficiency and green technologies could help schools reduce and eventually eliminate their huge and rising energy costs. The review required a set of recommendations. This legislation is a direct by-product of that review and is one of the recommendations that were provided to help schools free up funding that could be put to use to directly help student academic achievement. It is critically important that this legislation is passed by the Legislature and approved by the Governor in 2017.
Legislative history
2017-18 - S.3876 - EDUCATION/EDUCATION
2015-16 - S.4385-AJA.5976-A - EDUCATION/Education
2014 - A9856 -- Education
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.