Section 2-1603 - Building Energy Transition Implementation Task Force(a) There is a Building Energy Transition Implementation Task Force.(b) The Task Force consists of the following members:(1) The Secretary, or the Secretary's designee;(2) The Secretary of Housing and Community Development, or the Secretary's designee;(3) The Secretary of General Services, or the Secretary's designee;(4) The Director of the Maryland Energy Administration, or the Director's designee;(5) The Chair of the Public Service Commission, or the Chair's designee;(6) The People's Counsel, or the People's Counsel's designee;(7) The Executive Director of the Maryland Clean Energy Center, or the Executive Director's designee;(8) The Chair of the Maryland Green Building Council, or the Chair's designee;(9) One member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the House;(10) One member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate; and(11) The following members, appointed by the Governor:(i) One representative from a nonprofit or professional organization that advocates for energy-efficient buildings or a low-carbon-built environment;(ii) One representative from a business that provides energy efficiency or renewable energy services to large buildings or affordable housing in Maryland;(iii) One representative who is an architect with experience planning modifications to existing buildings to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reductions;(iv) One representative who is a mechanical, electrical, or plumbing engineer or commissioning agent with experience in modifying or replacing systems in order to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reductions;(v) One representative of the multifamily housing industry;(vi) One representative who is an affordable housing developer;(vii) One representative who is a facilities or property manager for an apartment building;(viii) One representative who is a facilities or property manager for a commercial building;(ix) One representative of a financial institution;(x) One representative of a private equity firm;(xi) One representative of the district energy industry;(xii) One representative of a statewide commercial or industrial building association;(xiii) One representative of organized labor who represents the building trades; and(xiv) One representative who is a tenant of an apartment building or an advocate for the rights of tenants of apartment buildings; and(12) The following members, selected by the Public Service Commission: (i) One representative of a municipal electric utility; and(ii) One representative of an investor-owned utility.(c) The Secretary shall designate the chair of the Task Force.(d) The Department shall provide staff for the Task Force.(e) A member of the Task Force: (1) May not receive compensation as a member of the Task Force; but(2) Is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.(f)(1) The Task Force shall:(i) Study and make recommendations regarding the development of complementary programs, policies, and incentives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector in accordance with this subtitle;(ii) Make recommendations on targeting incentives to electrification projects that would not otherwise result in strong returns on investment for building owners; and(iii) Develop a plan for funding the retrofit of covered buildings to comply with building emissions standards.(2) The plan developed under this subsection may include recommendations related to: (i) The creation of commercial tax credits or direct subsidy payments for building decarbonization projects;(ii) The creation of financial incentives through EmPOWER Maryland and other State programs to support all aspects of the transition to electrified buildings;(iii) The establishment of low-income household holistic retrofit targets and heat pump sales targets; and(iv) The use of options such as on-bill, low-interest financing to spread out the up-front costs associated with electrification retrofit upgrades.(g) On or before December 1, 2023, the Task Force shall report its plan to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2-1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly.Added by 2022 Md. Laws, Ch. 38, Sec. 7, eff. 6/1/2022, exp. 7/1/2024.