SB 968

Present law establishes the state energy policy council ("council""), administratively attached to the office of the comptroller of the treasury. The council advise s the governor and general assembly with the goal of promoting economic growth and job creation while ensuring the protection of the state's natural resources, cultural heritage, and quality of life. To facilitate the work of the council and for administrative purposes, the chair of the council, with the consent and approval of the members, organize s the work of the council to carry out its requirements and to ensure the efficient operation of the council. This bill revises this last provision to, instead, require the c hair of the council to assign the administrative oversight responsibilities jointly to the department of economic and community development and the department of environment and conservation. Present law requires the council to a dopt its own rules of pro cedure and m ake nonsubstantive policy relating to the administrative operation of the council. This bill deletes this provision. ANNUAL REPORTS AND PLANS Present law requires the council to create an annual report, facilitated by the Howard H. Baker Jr . Center for Public Policy at the University of Tennesse e, to assess the energy sector in this state . The report must include the statewide projected growth and development as it relates to future energy needs and a n assessment of growth trends in energy consumption and production, and an identification of potential adverse social, economic, or environmental impacts which may be imposed by a continuation of the present trends . This bill deletes the requirement for an annual report from the council and rem oves these provisions pertaining to the annual report. Present law requires the council to d evelop a n ongoing comprehensive state energy policy plan to achieve maximum effective management and use of present and future sources of energy . The plan must i nclude r ecommendations to the governor and the general assembly for additional administrative and legislative actions on energy matters . The plan must also include a summary of the council's activities since the last filing of the energy policy plan, a de scription of major plans developed by the council, an assessment of plan implementation, and a review of council plans and programs for the coming biennium. This bill revises the contents of this plan to the timing and contents outlined below. This bil l requires t he council to publish an initial report by July 1, 2026, on recommendations of policy and actions needed in order to address this state's energy needs . The report must be d istributed electronically to legislative committees and be a vailable on the department of economic and community development's and the department of environment and conservation's websites. The departments must jointly notify any person who has registered through the department's website by email of the report's a vailability. The departments must also establish the frequency by which future reports will be distributed, with the longest interval between distributions being two years. VACANCY APPOINTMENTS In case of a vacancy in the membership on the council prio r to the expiration of a member's term, p resent law requires a successor to be appointed within 30 days of the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term by the appropriate appointing authority and in the same manner as the original appointment. This bill revises this provision so that, instead, a successor must be appointed by the appointing authority who made the original appointment and in the same manner as the original appointment."