85R9927 YDB-F     By: Thierry H.B. No. 1931       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the duties of the State Energy Conservation Office   regarding advanced clean energy project grants and loans and the   creation of an inclusion task force for the energy industry.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 447.013, Government Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (i) and adding Subsections (k), (l), and (m) to   read as follows:          (i)  A recipient of a grant or loan under this section is   encouraged to purchase goods and services from small businesses, as   that term is defined by Section 481.401, and historically   underutilized businesses, as that term is defined by Section   2161.001 [those terms are defined by former Section 481.191, as   that section existed on January 1, 2015].          (k)  The State Energy Conservation Office shall require each   recipient of a grant awarded or loan made under this section, as a   condition for receipt of the grant or loan, to annually submit a   detailed plan for increasing procurements from historically   underutilized businesses in renewable energy, advanced   technologies, and demonstration and other clean energy projects.   The plan:                (1)  must include short-term and long-term goals,   schedules for completing stages of the procurement contract, and   methods for encouraging general contractors and grant or loan   recipients to engage historically underutilized businesses in   subcontracts for renewable energy, advanced technologies, and   demonstration and other clean energy projects; and                (2)  may not include a requirement that the recipient   of the grant or loan achieve a specified number or percentage of   procurements from historically underutilized businesses compared   to the recipient's total procurements.          (l)  The State Energy Conservation Office shall require as a   condition for receipt of a grant or loan under this section that   each recipient submit an annual report to the office, in the form   and not later than the date required by the office, regarding   implementation of the plan established under Subsection (k). The   recipient shall post the report on the recipient's Internet website   and the office shall post a copy of the report on the office's   Internet website.          (m)  The State Energy Conservation Office shall:                (1)  develop guidelines to be used by each grant or loan   recipient in establishing the plan under Subsection (k); and                (2)  develop and require every grant or loan recipient   to implement an outreach program to inform historically   underutilized businesses of the actions necessary to apply for   procurement contracts under this section.          SECTION 2.  Chapter 447, Government Code, is amended by   adding Section 447.014 to read as follows:          Sec. 447.014.  INCLUSION TASK FORCE FOR ENERGY INDUSTRY.   (a)  In this section, "diverse" and "diversity" mean the inclusion   of different types of people, including:                (1)  black Americans;                (2)  Hispanic Americans;                (3)  Native Americans;                (4)  Asian Pacific Americans;                (5)  women; and                (6)  veterans, as defined by 38 U.S.C. Section 101(2),   who have suffered at least a 20 percent service-connected   disability, as defined by 38 U.S.C. Section 101(16).          (b)  The State Energy Conservation Office shall establish an   inclusion task force to consider and make recommendations on   diversity in the energy industry, including diversity of corporate   governing boards and procurement from diverse businesses.          (c)  The inclusion task force shall:                (1)  identify and promote energy companies that are   actively engaged in diversity issues;                (2)  explore the status of diverse representation on   energy company governing boards;                (3)  recommend actions for the State Energy   Conservation Office to encourage energy companies to increase   procurement from diverse suppliers; and                (4)  make recommendations to the office regarding   legislation to accomplish diversity as described by Subsection (b).          SECTION 3.  Section 447.013, Government Code, as amended by   this Act, applies only to a grant awarded or loan made on or after   the effective date of this Act.          SECTION 4.  As soon as practicable after the effective date   of this Act, the State Energy Conservation Office shall establish   the inclusion task force as required by Section 447.014, Government   Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.