Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

HB 630
                       Department of Legislative Services
                              Maryland General Assembly
                                    2021 Session
                            FISCAL AND POLICY NOTE
                               Third Reader - Revised
House Bill 630                   (Delegate Solomon)
Appropriations                              Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
    Primary and Secondary Education – School District Energy Use – Policy and
                                    Study
This bill requires each local school system to adopt or update a school district energy policy
by July 1, 2022. The Interagency Commission on School Construction (IAC) must
coordinate with the Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) and the Maryland Clean
Energy Center (MCEC) to study and make recommendations on expanding and providing
additional funding for the Maryland Net Zero Energy School Initiative Grant Program. The
bill takes effect July 1, 2021.
                                     Fiscal Summary
State Effect: IAC and MEA can carry out the bill’s requirements with existing budgeted
resources. No effect on revenues.
Local Effect: Expenditures may increase for some local school systems to develop and
regularly update an energy policy in accordance with the bill’s requirements, as discussed
below, which for most systems can likely be handled with existing resources. No effect on
revenues.
Small Business Effect: Minimal.
                                         Analysis
Bill Summary: A school district energy policy must:
      address the purchasing, conservation, and efficiency of energy for the school
       system;
      provide for the monitoring and reporting of the amount and percentage of the school
       system’s use of electricity from renewable sources; and
      include current and historical data on the school system’s energy use by square foot.
Each local school system is encouraged to set targets to increase its use of renewable energy
and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. The policy must be posted on the school system’s
website and be updated every three years.
By January 1, 2022, IAC must coordinate with MEA and the Maryland Department of the
Environment to develop a standardized reporting template that school systems can use to
report their energy use.
IAC, MEA, and MCEC must report their findings and recommendations regarding the
Maryland Net Zero School Initiative Grant Program to the Governor and the
General Assembly by December 1, 2021.
Current Law: As enacted by Chapter 14 of 2018 (the 21st Century School Facilities Act),
IAC manages State review and approval of local school construction projects.
MEA’s mission is to promote affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy for Marylanders. It
administers grant and loan programs to encourage clean energy technologies in all sectors
of Maryland’s economy.
The 2012 merger of Constellation Energy and Exelon Corporation yielded, as a condition
of the merger, a $9 million contribution to MEA’s Customer Investment Fund to provide
resources for long-term energy efficiency and conservation goals. The funds were used to
establish the Maryland Net Zero Energy School Initiative Grant Program, which made
grants to design and construct three net-zero energy schools in the State. Wilde Lake
Middle School in Howard County has been completed and occupied, and two schools in
Baltimore City, Graceland Park/O’Donnell Heights Middle/High School and
Holabird Elementary School, opened this year as net-zero schools. No additional funds
have been available for the grant program since the initial grants were made.
Local Expenditures: Some local school systems have already developed energy policies
similar to those required by the bill, and they indicate that they can comply with the bill
with existing resources. Several local school systems have not developed energy policies
and may not have staff available to do so. For instance, Anne Arundel County Public
Schools advises that it must hire an energy analyst at an annual cost of approximately
$103,000, and St. Mary’s County Public Schools also advises that it requires an energy
coordinator and other related costs, totaling approximately $141,000 annually.
HB 630/ Page 2
                               Additional Information
Prior Introductions: None.
Designated Cross File: None.
Information Source(s):      Maryland State Department of Education; Interagency
Commission on School Construction; Maryland Department of the Environment;
Maryland Energy Administration; Baltimore City Public Schools; Baltimore County
Public Schools; Anne Arundel County Public Schools; St. Mary’s County Public Schools;
Department of Legislative Services
Fiscal Note History:    First Reader - February 15, 2021
rh/rhh                  Third Reader - March 29, 2021
                               Revised - Amendment(s) - March 29, 2021
Analysis by: Michael C. Rubenstein                 Direct Inquiries to:
                                                   (410) 946-5510
                                                   (301) 970-5510
HB 630/ Page 3
Statutes affected: 
Text - First - Primary and Secondary Education – School District Energy Use – Policy and Study: 5-312.1 Education
Text - Third - Primary and Secondary Education – School District Energy Use – Policy and Study: 5-312.1 Education