Connecticut SB 306: AN ACT CONCERNING STUDENT ATHLETES AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

Bill Text

Substitute Senate Bill No. 306

Public Act No. 26-121

AN ACT CONCERNING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND
COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY STRATEGY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 16a-3d of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026):
(a) On or before October 1, 2020, and every four years thereafter, the
Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall prepare a
Comprehensive Energy Strategy in consultation with the (1)
Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, (2)
Commissioners of Agriculture, Housing and Transportation, or said
commissioners' designees, (3) Secretary of the Office of Policy and
Management, or the secretary's designee, (4) Consumer Counsel, or the
Consumer Counsel's designee, (5) chairperson of the Public Utilities
Regulatory Authority, or the chairperson's designee, and (6) chief
executive officer of the Connecticut Green Bank, or the chief executive
officer's designee.
(b) Said strategy shall reflect the legislative findings and policy stated
in section 16a-35k, provide any analysis and recommendations
necessary to guide the state's energy policy to meet greenhouse gas
emission reduction requirements, as established in section 22a-200a, in

Substitute Senate Bill No. 306

Public Act No. 26-121 2 of 5

the most cost-effective manner and incorporate (1) an assessment and
plan for all energy needs in the state, including, but not limited to,
electricity, heating, cooling, and transportation, (2) the findings of the
Integrated Resources Plan, (3) the findings of the plan for energy
efficiency adopted pursuant to section 16-245m, (4) the findings of the
plan for renewable energy adopted pursuant to section 16-245n, and (5)
the Energy Assurance Plan developed for the state of Connecticut
pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, P.L.
111-5, or any successor Energy Assurance Plan developed within a
reasonable time prior to the preparation of any Comprehensive Energy
Strategy. Said strategy shall further include, but not be limited to, (A) an
assessment of current energy supplies, demand and costs, (B)
identification and evaluation of the factors likely to affect future energy
supplies, demand and costs, (C) a statement of progress made toward
achieving the goals and milestones set in the preceding Comprehensive
Energy Strategy, (D) a statement of energy policies and long-range
energy planning objectives and strategies appropriate to achieve, the
state's greenhouse gas reduction goals established in section 22a-200a, a
sound economy, the least-cost mix of energy supply sources to meet said
goals and measures that reduce demand for energy, giving due regard
to such factors as consumer price impacts, security and diversity of fuel
supplies and energy generating methods, protection of public health
and safety, environmental goals and standards, conservation of energy
and energy resources and the ability of the state to compete
economically, (E) recommendations for administrative and legislative
actions to implement such policies, objectives and strategies, (F) an
assessment of the potential costs savings and benefits to ratepayers,
including, but not limited to, carbon dioxide emissions reductions or
voluntary joint ventures to repower some or all of the state's coal-fired
and oil-fired generation facilities built before 1990, (G) the benefits,
costs, obstacles and solutions related to the expansion and use and
availability of natural gas in Connecticut, and (H) a strategy for ensuring
the state's energy efficiency goals are met.

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[(b)] (c) In adopting the Comprehensive Energy Strategy, the
Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall conduct a
proceeding that shall not be considered a contested case under chapter
54, but shall include not less than one public meeting and one technical
meeting at which technical personnel shall be available to answer
questions. Such meetings shall be transcribed and posted on the
department's Internet web site. Said commissioner shall give not less
than fifteen days' notice of such proceeding by electronic publication on
the department's Internet web site. Not later than fifteen days prior to
any such public meeting and not less than thirty days prior to any such
technical meeting, the commissioner shall publish notice of either such
meeting and post the text of the proposed Comprehensive Energy
Strategy on the department's Internet web site. Notice of such public
meeting or technical meeting may also be published in one or more
newspapers having state-wide circulation if deemed necessary by the
commissioner. Such notice shall state the date, time, and place of the
meeting, the subject matter of the meeting, the manner and time period
during which comments may be submitted to said commissioner, the
statutory authority for the propo