ASSEMBLY, No. 2739

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 27, 1997

By Assemblymen MALONE, COTTRELL, Geist, Azzolina, Arnone and Moran

An Act concerning energy conservation in State buildings and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. The General Services Administration in the Department of the Treasury shall determine the minimum lighting requirements for every building occupied, in whole or in part, by employees of the State. Upon completing this determination, and upon a finding that the minimum lighting requirements would consume less electricity than currently consumed, while permitting the continued satisfactory performance of State functions during working hours and ensuring the safety of building occupants and property, the administration shall develop a lighting reduction implementation plan, hereinafter referred to as the "plan." The plan shall include, but need not be limited to, an outline and timetable of the measures that will be taken to reduce the amount of lighting used during all hours in each of the buildings.

    2. The administration shall complete the determination and implement the plan required pursuant to section 1 of this act within 3 months of the effective date of this act.

    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill would require the General Services Administration in the Department of the Treasury to conduct a minimum lighting determination in each building within which State employees are located in order to conserve energy within State government buildings. Upon completion, and upon a finding that the minimum lighting requirements would consume less electricity than currently consumed, while permitting the continued satisfactory performance of State functions during working hours and ensuring the safety of building occupants and property, the administration would be required to develop a lighting reduction implementation plan. The plan would include, but need not be limited to, an outline and timetable of the measures that will be taken to reduce the amount of lighting used during all hours in each building. The bill requires the administration to complete the determination and implement the plan within 3 months of the date of enactment.

    A new study indicates that less energy consumption (e.g., turning off lights) not only saves energy, but also saves money, reduces air emissions and creates jobs.

Requires General Services Administration to develop minimum lighting plan.