Committee reviews Department of Administration bill to formalize energy and water benchmarking

Senate File 38‑58, sponsored in committee as a Department of Administration bill, would clarify energy reporting, add a statutory water‑reporting requirement and require agencies to benchmark energy and water use and maintain enterprise‑wide sustainability goals. The sponsor introduced an A1 amendment; the committee adopted an oral amendment to adjust construction‑date language.

Marcus Crabs, director of the Office of Enterprise Sustainability at the Department of Administration, testified the office was created by executive orders in 2017 and 2019 and later placed in statute. He described the office’s role in managing a statewide sustainability reporting dashboard, collecting about 6 million data points a year, supporting agencies on planning and implementation and helping identify utility rebates and cost‑saving measures. He told the committee the bill preserves the ability for Administration to maintain and update goals and adds a statutory water reporting requirement that previously existed by executive order.

Committee members asked whether statutory goals carry consequences if an agency fails to meet them; Crabs said there are no penalties — the goals are intended to measure progress and identify opportunities to reduce costs. Senators debated whether the goals belong in statute or should remain in executive order authority. Members also pressed for a fiscal note and asked whether the state’s shift to telework during 2020‑21 changed facility energy use; Crabs said the office is wrapping up reporting and expects preliminary numbers in mid‑June.

The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in later package work and the committee requested fiscal estimates and additional analysis of benefits.