Senate Study Bill 1298
SENATE/HOUSE FILE
BY (PROPOSED GOVERNOR'S BILL)
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act establishing the office of renewable energy and the Iowa
2 power fund and related provisions, and providing an effective
3 date.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 469.1 DEFINITIONS.
1 2 For the purposes of this chapter:
1 3 1. "Council" means the Iowa power fund partnership council
1 4 created in section 469.4.
1 5 2. "Director" means the director of renewable energy.
1 6 3. "Fund" means the Iowa power fund created in section
1 7 469.5.
1 8 4. "Office" means the governor's office of renewable
1 9 energy.
1 10 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 469.2 OFFICE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY.
1 11 The office of renewable energy is established in the office
1 12 of the governor to coordinate state activities concerning
1 13 renewable energy.
1 14 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 469.3 DIRECTOR OF RENEWABLE ENERGY.
1 15 1. A director of renewable energy shall be appointed by
1 16 the governor, subject to confirmation by the senate, and shall
1 17 serve at the pleasure of the governor. The governor shall
1 18 fill a vacancy in the office in the same manner as the
1 19 original appointment was made. The director shall be selected
1 20 primarily for administrative ability and knowledge concerning
1 21 renewable energy. The salary of the director shall be fixed
1 22 by the governor.
1 23 2. The director shall do all of the following:
1 24 a. Direct the governor's office of renewable energy.
1 25 b. Manage the Iowa power fund.
1 26 c. Lead outreach and public education efforts concerning
1 27 renewable energy.
1 28 d. Pursue new research and investment funds from federal
1 29 and private sources.
1 30 e. Coordinate and monitor all existing state and federal
1 31 renewable energy grants and programs.
1 32 f. Advise the governor and lieutenant governor concerning
1 33 renewable energy policy and legislation.
1 34 g. Establish performance measures for determining
1 35 effectiveness of renewable energy efforts.
2 1 h. Submit an annual report to the governor and general
2 2 assembly by November 1 of each year concerning the activities
2 3 and programs of the office, Iowa power fund, and other
2 4 departments related to renewable energy. The report shall
2 5 include an assessment of needs with respect to renewable
2 6 energy efforts.
2 7 i. Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A concerning the
2 8 office, the Iowa power fund, and the programs and functions of
2 9 the office and the fund.
2 10 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 469.4 IOWA POWER FUND PARTNERSHIP
2 11 COUNCIL.
2 12 1. A nine=member Iowa power fund partnership council is
2 13 created with the following membership:
2 14 a. The chairperson of the utilities board or the
2 15 chairperson's designee.
2 16 b. The director of the department of economic development
2 17 or the director's designee.
2 18 c. The director of the department of natural resources or
2 19 the director's designee.
2 20 d. Six members appointed by the governor subject to
2 21 confirmation by the senate. An appointee shall have
2 22 demonstrated experience or expertise in one or more of the
2 23 fields of renewable energy, biofuels, research and development
2 24 of new technologies, commercialization of new technologies,
2 25 and economic development.
2 26 2. The members appointed by the governor shall be
2 27 appointed for three=year staggered terms beginning and ending
2 28 as provided in section 69.19. A vacancy on the council shall
2 29 be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the
2 30 original appointment was made.
2 31 3. The members of the council shall be reimbursed for
2 32 actual and necessary travel and related expenses incurred in
2 33 the discharge of official duties. Each member of the council
2 34 may also be eligible to receive compensation as provided in
2 35 section 7E.6.
3 1 4. A majority of the members of the council constitutes a
3 2 quorum, and a majority of the total membership of the council
3 3 is necessary to act in any matter within the jurisdiction of
3 4 the council.
3 5 5. The duties of the council include all of the following:
3 6 a. Consider and approve grants, loans, or investments made
3 7 from the fund.
3 8 b. Advise the governor and director concerning strategic
3 9 direction for the fund.
3 10 c. Provide the governor with advice concerning economic
3 11 development, policy, technical issues, and strategic direction
3 12 concerning renewable energy.
3 13 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 469.5 IOWA POWER FUND.
3 14 1. The Iowa power fund is created in the state treasury
3 15 under the control of the office. The fund shall be separate
3 16 from the general fund of the state and the balance in the fund
3 17 shall not be considered part of the balance of the general
3 18 fund of the state. However, the fund shall be considered a
3 19 special account for the purposes of section 8.53, relating to
3 20 generally accepted accounting principles.
3 21 2. The fund shall consist of appropriations made to the
3 22 fund and other moneys available to and obtained or accepted by
3 23 the office from federal or private sources to the credit of
3 24 the fund. Notwithstanding section 12C.7, subsection 2,
3 25 interest or earnings on moneys in the fund shall be credited
3 26 to the fund.
3 27 3. Moneys available in the fund for a fiscal year are
3 28 appropriated to the office to be used in developing or
3 29 expanding industries involving renewable energy, alternate
3 30 energy, no or low pollution energy technologies, biofuel,
3 31 energy efficiency, other energy=related approaches, in
3 32 commercializing and increasing the demand for such
3 33 technologies and approaches, and other purposes designated in
3 34 law for the fund.
3 35 4. Except as otherwise designated by law, the office shall
4 1 not utilize more than three percent of the amount appropriated
4 2 from the fund for a fiscal year for administrative costs.
4 3 5. Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys credited to the
4 4 Iowa power fund shall not revert to the fund from which
4 5 appropriated.
4 6 Sec. 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being deemed of
4 7 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
4 8 EXPLANATION
4 9 This bill creates the governor's office of renewable
4 10 energy, the position of director of renewable energy, the Iowa
4 11 power fund partnership council, and the Iowa power fund in new
4 12 Code chapter 469. Duties for the office, director, and
4 13 council are specified. Grants, loans, and investments made
4 14 from the fund are subject to approval by the council.
4 15 The bill takes effect upon enactment.
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