Energy: Task Force on Equitable Clean Energy Supply Chains and Industrial Policy in California.

Senator McNerney's proposal to establish a comprehensive clean energy industrial policy framework centers on creating a new Senior Counselor position and task force within the California Energy Commission to coordinate supply chain development across the state's emerging clean technology sectors.

The legislation requires the Commission to designate a Senior Counselor on Industrial Policy and Clean Energy Development by March 2026. This position would collect and publish industry data, coordinate among clean energy stakeholders, and serve as the primary contact for companies interested in establishing California production facilities. The Senior Counselor would then convene a 15-member task force comprising representatives from labor, environmental groups, tribes, manufacturers, and state agencies to develop strategies for building integrated industrial bases in zero-emission vehicles, offshore wind components, and building electrification technologies.

By June 2027, the task force must submit recommendations to the Legislature on maximizing state investments in these sectors, identifying priority segments for vertical integration, and evaluating policy mechanisms like public procurement, strategic investments, and workforce standards. The Senior Counselor on Infrastructure would then coordinate implementation among state agencies through a detailed workplan. The bill establishes a dedicated fund to receive federal and private resources for these activities, with expenditures subject to legislative appropriation.

The proposal builds upon existing state commitments, including the requirement for 100% clean retail electricity by 2045, the phase-out of new gas vehicle sales by 2035, and offshore wind deployment targets of up to 25,000 megawatts by mid-century. Task force duties encompass analyzing ways to accelerate technology deployment while creating union manufacturing jobs and ensuring environmental justice considerations inform supply chain development.