Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Enrolled Copy                                                                       H.B. 217
                     SCHOOL ENERGY AND WATER REDUCTIONS
                                    2023 GENERAL SESSION
                                         STATE OF UTAH
                            Chief Sponsor: Gay Lynn Bennion
                             Senate Sponsor: Kirk A. Cullimore
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 LONG TITLE
 General Description:
       This bill addresses grant money for energy and water reductions.
 Highlighted Provisions:
       This bill:
       < defines terms;
       < authorizes the state board to issue grants related to energy and water reductions;
       < provides for prioritizing certain projects;
       < requires rulemaking;
       < requires use of an evaluation panel;
       < requires reporting; and
       < provides a repeal date.
 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
       None
 Other Special Clauses:
       None
 Utah Code Sections Affected:
 AMENDS:
       63I-2-253, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2022, Chapters 208, 229, 274, 354, 370,
 and 409
 ENACTS:
       53F-5-220, Utah Code Annotated 1953
       H.B. 217
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 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
         Section 1. Section 53F-5-220 is enacted to read:
         53F-5-220. Management of energy and water use pilot program.
         (1) As used in this section:
         (a) "Energy" means natural gas or electricity.
         (b) "Great Salt Lake watershed" means the drainage area for the Great Salt Lake, the
 Bear River watershed, the Jordan River watershed, the Utah Lake watershed, the Weber River
 watershed, and the West Desert watershed.
         (c) "Rural school district or charter school" means a school district or charter school
 that is located within a county of the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth class.
         (2) (a) On or after May 3, 2023, but before July 1, 2028, the state board may award a
 grant to a school district or charter school upon recommendation by the review panel created in
 Subsection (5) to implement a program to reduce the use of energy or water by a school district
 or charter school.
         (b) When issuing a grant under this section, the state board shall prioritize outdoor
 water conservation projects.
         (c) When issuing a grant under this section during the period beginning on May 3,
 2023, and ending October 31, 2023, the state board shall prioritize, in the order the state board
 considers appropriate, a grant:
         (i) to a rural school district or charter school;
         (ii) to a school district or charter school that is located within the Great Salt Lake
 watershed; and
         (iii) for an outdoor water conservation project.
         (3) (a) Grant money may be used to pay for any of the following, provided the use is
 directly related to reducing the use of energy or water by the school district or charter school:
         (i) computer equipment and peripherals;
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       Enrolled Copy                                                                          H.B. 217
        (ii) software;
        (iii) upgrades of existing computer equipment or software;
        (iv) physical equipment used to deliver energy or water;
        (v) upgrades of existing physical equipment used to deliver energy or water;
        (vi) personnel to provide technical support or coordination and management;
        (vii) staff or student management training;
        (viii) recalibration of equipment for increased efficiency; or
        (ix) another means of optimizing and measuring energy or water efficiency.
        (b) Equipment or software purchased in compliance with Subsection (3)(a), when not
 in use to reduce energy or water, may be used for other purposes.
        (4) In accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, the
 state board shall make rules:
        (a) establishing procedures for applying for and awarding a grant;
        (b) establishing eligibility criteria;
        (c) creating grant distribution thresholds;
        (d) specifying how grant money is allocated among school districts and charter schools;
        (e) requiring reporting of grant money expenditures and evidence showing that the
 grant money has been used to implement reduced use of energy or water; and
        (f) establishing technology standards.
        (5) The state board shall establish a review panel to consider grant applications under
 this section, which shall include in addition to a representative for the state board,
 representation from the Office of Energy Development, the Department of Environmental
 Quality, the Division of Water Resources, and private energy providers.
        (6) By no later than the 2027 November interim meeting of the following, the state
 board shall report on the effectiveness of grants issued under this section to the following:
        (a) Education Interim Committee; and
        (b) Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee.
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        H.B. 217
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        Section 2. Section 63I-2-253 is amended to read:
        63I-2-253. Repeal dates: Titles 53 through 53G.
        (1) (a) Subsection 53B-2a-108(5), regarding exceptions to the composition of a
 technical college board of trustees, is repealed July 1, 2022.
        (b) When repealing Subsection 53B-2a-108(5), the Office of Legislative Research and
 General Counsel shall, in addition to its authority under Subsection 36-12-12(3), make
 necessary changes to subsection numbering and cross references.
        (2) Section 53B-6-105.7 is repealed July 1, 2024.
        (3) Section 53B-7-707 regarding performance metrics for technical colleges is repealed
 July 1, 2023.
        (4) Section 53B-8-114 is repealed July 1, 2024.
        (5) The following provisions, regarding the Regents' scholarship program, are repealed
 on July 1, 2023:
        (a) in Subsection 53B-8-105(12), the language that states, "or any scholarship
 established under Sections 53B-8-202 through 53B-8-205";
        (b) Section 53B-8-202;
        (c) Section 53B-8-203;
        (d) Section 53B-8-204; and
        (e) Section 53B-8-205.
        (6) Section 53B-10-101 is repealed on July 1, 2027.
        (7) Title 53B, Chapter 18, Part 14, Uintah Basin Air Quality Research Project, is
 repealed July 1, 2023.
        (8) Subsection 53E-1-201(1)(s) regarding the report by the Educational Interpretation
 and Translation Services Procurement Advisory Council is repealed July 1, 2024.
        (9) Section 53E-1-202.2, regarding a Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee
 evaluation and recommendations, is repealed January 1, 2024.
        (10) Subsection 53E-10-309(7), related to the PRIME pilot program, is repealed July 1,
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        Enrolled Copy                                                                           H.B. 217
 2024.
         (11) In Subsections 53F-2-205(4) and (5), regarding the State Board of Education's
 duties if contributions from the minimum basic tax rate are overestimated or underestimated,
 the language that states "or 53F-2-301.5, as applicable" is repealed July 1, 2023.
         (12) Section 53F-2-209, regarding local education agency budgetary flexibility, is
 repealed July 1, 2024.
         (13) Subsection 53F-2-301(1), relating to the years the section is not in effect, is
 repealed July 1, 2023.
         (14) Section 53F-2-302.1, regarding the Enrollment Growth Contingency Program, is
 repealed July 1, 2023.
         (15) Subsection 53F-2-314(4), relating to a one-time expenditure between the at-risk
 WPU add-on funding and previous at-risk funding, is repealed January 1, 2024.
         (16) Section 53F-2-524, regarding teacher bonuses for extra work assignments, is
 repealed July 1, 2024.
         (17) In Subsection 53F-2-515(1), the language that states "or 53F-2-301.5, as
 applicable" is repealed July 1, 2023.
         (18) Subsection 53F-4-401(3)(b), regarding a child enrolled or eligible for enrollment
 in kindergarten, is repealed July 1, 2022.
         (19) In Subsection 53F-4-404(4)(c), the language that states "Except as provided in
 Subsection (4)(d)" is repealed July 1, 2022.
         (20) Subsection 53F-4-404(4)(d) is repealed July 1, 2022.
         (21) Section 53F-5-220, regarding a management of energy and water pilot program, is
 repealed July 1, 2028.
         [(21)] (22) In Subsection 53F-9-302(3), the language that states "or 53F-2-301.5, as
 applicable" is repealed July 1, 2023.
         [(22)] (23) In Subsection 53F-9-305(3)(a), the language that states "or 53F-2-301.5, as
 applicable" is repealed July 1, 2023.
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        H.B. 217
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         [(23)] (24) In Subsection 53F-9-306(3)(a), the language that states "or 53F-2-301.5, as
 applicable" is repealed July 1, 2023.
         [(24)] (25) In Subsection 53G-3-304(1)(c)(i), the language that states "or 53F-2-301.5,
 as applicable" is repealed July 1, 2023.
         [(25)] (26) On July 1, 2023, when making changes in this section, the Office of
 Legislative Research and General Counsel shall, in addition to the office's authority under
 Subsection 36-12-12(3), make corrections necessary to ensure that sections and subsections
 identified in this section are complete sentences and accurately reflect the office's perception of
 the Legislature's intent.
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Statutes affected: 
Introduced: 63I-2-253, 53B-6-105.7, 53B-8-114, 53B-10-101
Enrolled: 63I-2-253, 53B-6-105.7, 53B-8-114, 53B-10-101
H.B. 217 1st Substitute (Not Adopted) Text: 63I-2-253, 53B-6-105.7, 53B-8-114, 53B-10-101