,,ii #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ebei ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #be1 #bjbd,mr4 ,lujn introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of ,energy to establish a program to increase participation in community solar programs and the receipt of associated benefits1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,community ,solar ,consumer ,choice ,act of #bjbd4 #b4 ,community solar consumer choice program2 ,federal ,government participation in community solar 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,community solar facility2 community solar program2 subscriber ,the terms community solar facility1 community solar program1 and subscriber have the meanings given those terms in paragraph 7#bb77;,a7 of section #aaa7;d7 of the ,public ,utility ,regulatory ,policies ,act of #aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #bfba7;d774 7#b7 ,national ,laboratory ,the term ,national ,laboratory has the meaning given the term in section #b of the ,energy ,policy ,act of #bjje 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aehja74 7#c7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,energy4 7b7 ,establishment of community solar consumer choice program 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall establish a program to increase access to community solar programs for-- 7,a7 individuals1 particularly individuals that do not have regular access to onsite solar1 including low- and moderate-income individuals2 7,b7 businesses2 7,c7 nonprofit organizations2 and 7,d7 ,states and local and ,tribal governments4 7#b7 ,alignment with existing ,federal programs ,the ,secretary shall align the program established under paragraph 7#a7 with existing ,federal programs that serve low-income communities4 7#c7 ,assistance to ,state1 local1 and ,tribal governments ,in carrying out the program established under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 provide technical assistance to ,state1 local1 and ,tribal governments1 and other entities1 for projects to increase access to community solar programs2 7,b7 assist ,state1 local1 and ,tribal governments in the development of new and innovative financial and business models1 including affordable rate structures1 that leverage competition in the energy marketplace in order to serve subscribers2 and 7,c7 use ,national ,laboratories to collect and disseminate data to assist private entities in the financing of1 subscription to1 and operation of community solar facilities and community solar programs4 7c7 ,federal ,government participation in community solar programs ,the ,secretary1 to the extent practicable1 shall expand the existing grant1 loan1 and financing programs of the ,department of ,energy to include community solar programs4 #c4 ,establishment of community solar programs 7a7 ,in general ,section #aaa7;d7 of the ,public ,utility ,regulatory ,policies ,act of #aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #bfba7;d77 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7#bb7 ,community solar programs 7,a7 ,definitions ,in this paragraph3 7i7 ,community solar facility ,the term community solar facility means a solar photovoltaic system that-- 7,i7 allocates electricity to multiple electric consumers served by an electric utility2 7,,ii7 is connected to local distribution infrastructure of the electric utility2 7,,iii7 is located either on or off the property of #a or more subscribers2 and 7,,iv7 may be owned by an electric utility1 #a more subscribers1 or a third party4 7ii7 ,community solar program ,the term community solar program means a service provided by an electric utility to an electric consumer served by the electric utility through which the value of electricity generated by a community solar facility may be used to offset charges billed to the electric consumer by the electric utility4 7iii7 ,subscriber ,the term subscriber means an electric consumer who participates in a community solar program4 7,b7 ,standard 7i7 ,non-tribal utilities ,each electric utility that is not a ,tribal utility shall offer a community solar program to which all ratepayers of the electric utility1 including low-income ratepayers1 have equitable and demonstrable access4 7ii7 ,tribal utilities 7,i7 ,in general ,a ,tribal utility may offer a community solar program4 7,,ii7 ,resources ,a ,tribal utility that offers a community solar program may leverage the resources made available to the ,tribal utility under this ,act to carry out that community solar program4 7,c7 ,ownership of community solar facilities ,a community solar program established pursuant to this paragraph shall include a mechanism to allow electric utilities1 non-utilities1 and other appropriate entities to assume complete or partial ownership of relevant community solar facilities1 as necessary to deliver customer benefits and mitigate the impacts of market concentration4 7,d7 ,technical assistance and other guidance ,the ,secretary shall provide technical assistance and other guidance necessary to carry out a community solar program pursuant to this paragraph1 including to ,state1 local1 and ,tribal governments1 as appropriate4 4 7b7 ,compliance 7#a7 ,time limitations ,section #aab7;b7 of the ,public ,utility ,regulatory ,policies ,act of #aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #bfbb7;b77 is amended-- 7,a7 by indenting paragraphs 7#d7 through 7#h71 and any subparagraphs within those paragraphs1 appropriately2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#i7 7,a7 ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this paragraph1 each ,state regulatory authority 7with respect to each electric utility for which the ,state has ratemaking authority7 and each nonregulated electric utility shall commence consideration under section #aaa1 or set a hearing date for consideration1 with respect to the standard established by paragraph 7#bb7 of section #aaa7;d74 7,b7 ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this paragraph1 each ,state regulatory authority 7with respect to each electric utility for which the ,state has ratemaking authority71 and each nonregulated electric utility shall complete the consideration and make the determination under section #aaa with respect to the standard established by paragraph 7#bb7 of section #aaa7;d74 4 7#b7 ,failure to comply 7,a7 ,in general ,section #aab7;c7 of the ,public ,utility ,regulatory ,policies ,act of #aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #bfbb7;c77 is amended-- 7i7 in the first sentence1 by striking subsection 7b77#b7 and inserting subsection 7b72 and 7ii7 by adding at the end the following3 ,in the case of the standard established by paragraph 7#bb7 of section #aaa7;d71 the reference contained in this subsection to the date of enactment of this ,act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of that paragraph 7#bb744 7#c7 ,prior ,state actions 7,a7 ,in general ,section #aab of the ,public ,utility ,regulatory ,policies ,act of #aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #bfbb7 is amended-- 7i7 in subsection 7h71 in the subsection heading1 by striking ,other2 and 7ii7 by adding at the end the following3 7i7 ,prior ,state actions ,subsections 7b7 and 7c7 shall not apply to the standard established by paragraph 7#bb7 of section #aaa7;d7 in the case of any electric utility in a ,state if1 before the date of enactment of this subsection-- 7#a7 the ,state has implemented for the electric utility the standard 7or a comparable standard72 7#b7 the ,state regulatory authority for the ,state or the relevant nonregulated electric utility has conducted a proceeding to consider implementation of the standard 7or a comparable standard7 for the electric utility2 or 7#c7 the ,state legislature has voted on the implementation of the standard 7or a comparable standard7 for the electric utility4 4 7,b7 ,cross-reference ,section #abd of the ,public ,utility ,regulatory ,policies ,act of #aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #bfcd7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 ,in the case of the standard established by paragraph 7#bb7 of section #aaa7;d71 the reference contained in this section to the date of enactment of this ,act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of that paragraph 7#bb744 #d4 ,federal contracts for public utility services ,section #eja7;b77#a7 of title #dj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by striking subparagraph 7,b7 and inserting the following3 7,b7 ,public utility contracts ,a contract under this paragraph for public utility services may be for a period of not more than #cj years4 4