By: Menéndez S.B. No. 238               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 STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION 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 state energy conservation office shall   develop and provide energy and water conservation information for   the state.           (b)  The state energy conservation 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 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) 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, 2023.