Senate Bill S5942A

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5942
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 4, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SKOUFIS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to creating an
   electric school  bus  infrastructure  investment  pilot  program;  and
   making an appropriation relating thereto

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The economic development law is amended  by  adding  a  new
 article 6-B to read as follows:
                                 ARTICLE 6-B
                    ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUS INFRASTRUCTURE
                         INVESTMENT PILOT PROGRAM
 SECTION 189-AA. ELECTRIC  SCHOOL  BUS  INFRASTRUCTURE  INVESTMENT  PILOT
                   PROGRAM.
         189-BB. RULES AND REGULATIONS.
   § 189-AA. ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUS INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT PILOT PROGRAM.
 (A) THE DEPARTMENT IS AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO ADMINISTER AN  ELECTRIC
 SCHOOL  BUS  INFRASTRUCTURE  INVESTMENT  PILOT  PROGRAM. AWARDS FOR SUCH
 PROGRAM SHALL BE DECIDED THROUGH THE EXISTING REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOP-
 MENT COUNCIL PROCESS, WITH TWO SCHOOL  DISTRICTS  WITHIN  EACH  ECONOMIC
 DEVELOPMENT  REGION  BEING  AWARDED  GRANTS  ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS EACH
 YEAR. SUCH GRANT MONEY MAY BE USED TO OFFSET THE COST  OF  PLANNING  AND
 BUILDING  THE  CLEAN ENERGY MICRO-GRIDS NEEDED TO EFFECTUATE THE CONVER-
 SION TO ELECTRIC BUSES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, EXPENSES SUCH  AS
 ENGINEERING, LAND USE, AND OTHER STUDIES AS MAY BE NECESSARY, AS WELL AS
 FOR OTHER PURPOSES DEEMED FEASIBLE AND ADVISABLE BY THE DEPARTMENT. SUCH
 MICRO-GRID SYSTEMS SHALL ALLOW FOR THE CLEAN ENERGY PRODUCTION OF CHARG-
 ING  INFRASTRUCTURE,  BY PRODUCING REDUCED LONG TERM OPERATING EXPENSES,
 AND RELIABLE POWER GENERATION TO MEET THE STATE'S GOALS AND MANDATES  IN
 THIS AREA.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD09608-01-5
 S. 5942                             2
              

 
   (B)  THE  NEW  YORK  ENERGY  RESEARCH  AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY SHALL
 CONTRIBUTE TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS' WORTH  OF  ITS  OWN  RESOURCES,  FROM
 FUNDS  COLLECTED  FROM  RATEPAYERS  FOR  THE PURPOSE OF SUPPORTING CLEAN
 ENERGY PROGRAMS, REDUCING EMISSIONS AND FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE, FOR THE
 PURPOSES OF CARRYING OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE.
   §  189-BB.  RULES  AND REGULATIONS. THE AUTHORITY, IN CONSULTATION AND
 COOPERATION WITH THE NEW YORK ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY,
 IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO PROMULGATE  SUCH  RULES  AND  REGU-
 LATIONS  AS  IT DEEMS NECESSARY TO FULFILL THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE.
 SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS  SHALL  BE  PROMULGATED  ON  OR  BEFORE  JUNE
 FIFTEENTH, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE.
   § 2. The sum of twenty million dollars ($20,000,000), or so much ther-
 eof  as  may  be  necessary, is hereby appropriated to the department of
 economic development out of any moneys in  the  state  treasury  in  the
 general  fund,  not  otherwise appropriated, and made immediately avail-
 able, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this  act.  Such
 moneys  shall  be payable on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on
 vouchers certified or approved by the commissioner of economic  develop-
 ment in the manner prescribed by law.
   §  3. This act shall take effect April 1, 2025 and shall expire and be
 deemed repealed April 1,  2030.  Effective  immediately,  the  addition,
 amendment  and/or  repeal  of  any  rule or regulation necessary for the
 implementation of this act on its effective date are  authorized  to  be
 made and completed on or before such effective date.