Bill > AB2715

This bill establishes the Agricultural Working Poor Energy Efficient Housing Program, which will be developed and administered by the Department of Community Services and Development, using funds appropriated by the Legislature to improve energy efficiency in housing occupied by farmworkers. The program will fund activities such as weatherization, replacement of inefficient appliances and lighting with energy-saving alternatives like Energy Star certified products and LED lighting, and the installation of solar panels, solar water heating systems, and battery backups, with a preference given to organizations with a proven track record of assisting farmworkers. The department will consult with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and the State Energy Resources Conservation and Development Commission (Energy Commission) to ensure the program aligns with state energy policies and avoids duplicating existing efforts overseen by those commissions. Furthermore, the department will make draft program guidelines available online and hold public hearings for input before finalizing them, and will report annually to the Legislature on the program's financial status, the number and demographics of households served, the types of improvements funded, and the estimated energy savings.