HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 128

(By Delegates Howell, C. Martin, Azinger, Barnhart, Cadle, Caputo, Diserio, Hamrick, Hansen, Hanna, Hicks, Hott, D. Jeffries, J. Jeffries, Jennings, Little, Pyles, Staggers, Sypolt, Tomblin, Walker, Wilson and Worrell)

[Originating in the Committee on Government Organization; Reported on February 29, 2020]

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study how state agencies can better manage the amount of state taxpayer dollars spend on utilities.

Whereas, the state of West Virginia maintains and operates hundreds of buildings across the state; and

Whereas, The State of West Virginia agencies and higher education institutions have no comprehensive accounting of the total dollars spent on heating, air conditioning and lighting each year for buildings maintained and operated by the state; and

Whereas, State buildings have been built, renovated and leased with inefficient and outdated heating and air conditioning systems at significant costs; and

Whereas, Commercial buildings can waste as much as 30% of the energy used annually, according to a recent study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); and

Whereas, West Virginia lags behind other states in the development of energy management businesses; and

Whereas, The state agency and college and university and college owned buildings have significant deferred maintenance needs and the state has no real accounting of the total needs or strategy to provide the needed maintenance; and

Whereas, Other states have employed strategies to identify and address deferred maintenance; Therefore be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

            That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study the cost of utilities by state agencies, and be it

                        Further Resolved, The study shall catalog the deferred maintenance needs for state agencies in regard to equipment that heats cools and provides lighting for state agencies; and be it
            Further Resolved The study will also provide recommendations on strategies to help ensure the state reduce costs by replacing needed heating, cooling and lighting infrastructure and equipment; and, be it
            Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the Regular Session of the Legislature 2021, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate any recommendations; and, be it
            Further Resolved, That the West Virginia Office of Energy which is part of the Department of Commerce, the Department of Administration, the Higher Education Policy Commission, The Department of Health and Human Resources, The Department of Corrections and other state agencies  are requested to cooperate with the Legislature as it conducts this study; and, be it
            Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid form legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.