| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to energy efficiency rebate programs; |
| 3 | authorizing the Florida Energy and Climate Commission to |
| 4 | pay certain rebates pursuant to the Florida ENERGY STAR |
| 5 | Residential HVAC Rebate Program; authorizing the Florida |
| 6 | Energy and Climate Commission to pay certain rebates |
| 7 | pursuant to the Solar Energy System Incentives Program; |
| 8 | providing appropriations; providing a penalty; providing |
| 9 | an effective date. |
| 10 |
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| 11 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 12 |
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| 13 | Section 1. (1) As provided in this section and section 2, |
| 14 | a portion of the total amount appropriated in this act shall be |
| 15 | utilized by the Florida Energy and Climate Commission to pay |
| 16 | rebates to eligible applicants who submit an application |
| 17 | pursuant to the Florida ENERGY STAR Residential HVAC Rebate |
| 18 | Program administered by the commission, as approved by the |
| 19 | United States Department of Energy. An applicant is eligible for |
| 20 | a rebate under this section if: |
| 21 | (a) A complete application is submitted to the commission |
| 22 | on or before November 30, 2010. |
| 23 | (b) The central air conditioner, air source heat pump, or |
| 24 | geothermal heat pump system replacement for which the applicant |
| 25 | is seeking a rebate was purchased from or contracted for |
| 26 | purchase with a Florida-licensed contractor after August 29, |
| 27 | 2010, but before September 15, 2010, and fully installed prior |
| 28 | to submission of the application for a rebate. |
| 29 | (c) The commission determines that the application |
| 30 | complies with this section and any existing agreement with the |
| 31 | United States Department of Energy governing the Florida ENERGY |
| 32 | STAR Residential HVAC Rebate Program. |
| 33 | (d) The applicant provides the following information to |
| 34 | the commission on or before November 30, 2010: |
| 35 | 1.a. A copy of the sales receipt indicating a date of |
| 36 | purchase after August 29, 2010, but before September 15, 2010, |
| 37 | with the make and model number identified and circled along with |
| 38 | the name and address of the Florida-licensed contractor who |
| 39 | installed the system; or |
| 40 | b. A copy of the contract for the purchase and |
| 41 | installation of the system indicating a contract date after |
| 42 | August 29, 2010, but before September 15, 2010, and a copy of |
| 43 | the sales receipt indicating a date of purchase after August 29, |
| 44 | 2010, but on or before November 30, 2010, with the make and |
| 45 | model number identified and circled along with the name and |
| 46 | address of the Florida-licensed contractor who installed the |
| 47 | system. |
| 48 | 2. A copy of the mechanical building permit issued by the |
| 49 | county or municipality and pulled by the Florida-licensed |
| 50 | contractor who installed the system for the residence. |
| 51 | 3. A copy of the Air Distribution System Test Report |
| 52 | results from a Florida-certified Class 1 energy gauge rater, a |
| 53 | Florida-licensed mechanical contractor, or a recognized test and |
| 54 | balance agent. The results from the test must indicate the home |
| 55 | has no more than 15 percent leakage to the outside as measured |
| 56 | by 0.10 Qn.out or less. |
| 57 | 4. A copy of the summary of the Manual J program completed |
| 58 | for the residence to indicate that the proper methodology for |
| 59 | sizing the new system was completed. |
| 60 | (2) The Florida Energy and Climate Commission shall pay a |
| 61 | $1,500 rebate to each consumer who submits an application |
| 62 | pursuant to the Florida ENERGY STAR Residential HVAC Rebate |
| 63 | Program if the application is approved by the commission in |
| 64 | accordance with this act. The commission shall pay all rebates |
| 65 | authorized in this section prior to paying any rebates |
| 66 | authorized in section 2. |
| 67 | Section 2. Notwithstanding s. 377.806(6), Florida |
| 68 | Statutes, the Florida Energy and Climate Commission shall |
| 69 | utilize up to $28,902,623, less any amount in excess of |
| 70 | $2,467,244 used to pay rebates pursuant to section 1, to pay a |
| 71 | percentage of each unpaid and approved rebate application |
| 72 | submitted pursuant to the Solar Energy System Incentives Program |
| 73 | established in s. 377.806, Florida Statutes. An applicant is |
| 74 | eligible for a rebate under this section if the application |
| 75 | submitted complies with s. 377.806, Florida Statutes. The |
| 76 | percentage of each approved rebate to be paid shall be derived |
| 77 | by dividing the remaining appropriation by the total dollar |
| 78 | value of the backlog of final approved solar rebates, pursuant |
| 79 | to the authorized limits provided in s. 377.806, Florida |
| 80 | Statutes. |
| 81 | Section 3. For the 2010-2011 fiscal year, and to |
| 82 | exclusively implement section 1, the sum of $2,467,244 in |
| 83 | nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the Grants and Donations |
| 84 | Trust Fund to the Florida Energy and Climate Commission. In |
| 85 | addition, the sum of $28,902,623 from the Grants and Donations |
| 86 | Trust Fund, from Specific Appropriation 2561A, chapter 2009-81, |
| 87 | Laws of Florida, is immediately reverted and reappropriated to |
| 88 | the Florida Energy and Climate Commission for the 2010-2011 |
| 89 | fiscal year to implement section 1, if actual rebates paid |
| 90 | exceed $2,467,244, and section 2. |
| 91 | Section 4. Any applicant who obtains a rebate pursuant to |
| 92 | this act based on the submission of information that the |
| 93 | applicant knows to be false commits a theft, punishable as |
| 94 | provided in s. 812.014, Florida Statutes. |
| 95 | Section 5. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |