Low-Income Weatherization Legislation

SB 1434 (Carona/Geren) will ensure higher quality standards in weatherizing homes for low-income Texans.

SB 1434 corrects two problems with current targeted, low-income energy efficiency programs that utilities are required to offer. The bill updates the program’s funding mechanism and ensures that the work contractors perform for low-income customers generates real savings. 

Statutorily, funding levels for targeted, low-income programs were locked in at 2003 levels.  Some utilities either did not exist or did not offer programs in 2003, and therefore were not mandated to spend any money on these programs.  This bill ensures that ten percent of all utility energy efficiency spending will go towards targeted, low-income programs. 

While most utilities currently spent more than ten percent of their budget on low-income customers, generally, they often spent the money on “hard-to-reach standard offer programs” rather than “targeted, low-income programs.”  “Targeted, low-income programs” are superior because energy savings are verified and the contractors’ work is inspected. 

SB1434 mandates that utility companies adhere to more stringent quality standards in weatherizing homes for low-income Texans. Implementing SB 1434 will lead to increased savings for the state and low-income families statewide. 

Here's How They Voted On Final Passage:

HOUSE

AYES - 139

Aliseda(R); Allen(D); Alonzo(D); Alvarado(D); Anchia(D); Anderson, Charles(R); Anderson, Rodney(R); Aycock(R); Beck(R); Berman(R); Bohac(R); Branch(R); Brown, Fred(R); Burkett(R); Burnam(D); Button(R); Cain(R); Callegari(R); Carter(R); Castro(D); Chisum(R); Christian(R); Coleman(D); Cook(R); Craddick(R); Creighton(R); Crownover(R); Darby(R); Davis, John(R); Davis, Sarah(R); Davis, Yvonne(D); Deshotel(D); Driver(R); Dukes(D); Dutton(D); Eiland(D); Eissler(R); Elkins(R); Farias(D); Farrar(D); Fletcher(R); Flynn(R); Frullo(R); Gallego(D); Garza(R); Geren(R); Giddings(D); Gonzales, Larry(R); Gonzales, Veronica(D); Gonzalez, Naomi(D); Gooden(R); Guillen(D); Gutierrez(D); Hamilton(R); Hancock(R); Hardcastle(R); Harless(R); Harper-Brown(R); Hartnett(R); Hernandez Luna(D); Hilderbran(R); Hochberg(D); Hopson(R); Howard, Charlie(R); Howard, Donna(D); Huberty(R); Hughes(R); Hunter(R); Isaac(R); Jackson, Jim(R); Johnson(D); Keffer(R); King, Phil(R); King, Susan(R); King, Tracy(D); Kolkhorst(R); Kuempel(R); Landtroop(R); Larson(R); Legler(R); Lewis(R); Lozano(D); Lucio III(D); Lyne(R); Madden(R); Mallory Caraway(D); Margo(R); Marquez(D); Martinez(D); Martinez Fischer(D); McClendon(D); Menendez(D); Miles(D); Miller, Doug(R); Morrison(R); Munoz(D); Murphy(R); Naishtat(D); Nash(R); Oliveira(D); Orr(R); Parker(R); Patrick, Diane(R); Pena(R); Perry(R); Phillips(R); Pickett(D); Pitts(R); Quintanilla(D); Raymond(D); Reynolds(D); Riddle(R); Ritter(R); Rodriguez(D); Schwertner(R); Scott(R); Sheets(R); Sheffield(R); Shelton(R); Simpson(R); Smith, Todd(R); Smith, Wayne(R); Smithee(R); Solomons(R); Strama(D); Taylor, Larry(R); Thompson(D); Torres(R); Truitt(R); Turner, Sylvester(D); Veasey(D); Villarreal(D); Vo(D); Walle(D); Weber(R); Woolley(R); Workman(R); Zedler(R); Zerwas(R)

NAYS - 7

Laubenberg(R); Lavender(R); Miller, Sid(R); Otto(R); Paxton(R); Price(R); Taylor, Van(R)

PRESENT-NOT-VOTING - 2

Bonnen(R); Straus(R)

ABSENT - 2

Kleinschmidt(R); White(R)

SENATE

AYES - 30

Carona(R); Davis, Wendy(D); Deuell(R); Duncan(R); Ellis(D); Eltife(R); Estes(R); Fraser(R); Gallegos(D); Harris(R); Hegar(R); Hinojosa(D); Huffman(R); Jackson, Mike(R); Lucio(D); Nelson(R); Nichols(R); Ogden(R); Patrick, Dan(R); Rodriguez(D); Seliger(R); Shapiro(R); Uresti(D); Van de Putte(D); Watson(D); Wentworth(R); West(D); Whitmire(D); Williams(R); Zaffirini(D)

NAYS - 1

Birdwell(R)

PRESENT-NOT-VOTING - 0

ABSENT - 0