AN ACT CONCERNING THE LOW-INCOME ENERGY ADVISORY BOARD.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 16a-41b of the 2010 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2010):

(a) There shall be a Low-Income Energy Advisory Board which shall consist of the following members: The [Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management or the secretary's designee; the Commissioner of Social Services or the commissioner's designee; the] executive director of the Commission on Aging; a representative of each electric and gas public service company designated by each such company; [the chairperson of the Department of Public Utility Control or a commissioner of the Department of Public Utility Control designated by the chairperson;] the Consumer Counsel or the counsel's designee; the executive director of Operation Fuel; the executive director of Infoline; the director of the Connecticut Local Administrators of Social Services; the executive director of Legal Assistance Resource Center of Connecticut; the Connecticut president of AARP; a designee of the Norwich Public Utility; a designee of the Connecticut Petroleum Dealers Association; and a representative of the community action agencies administering energy assistance programs under contract with the Department of Social Services, designated by the Connecticut Association for Community Action. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, the Commissioner of Social Services and the chairperson of the Public Utilities Control Authority, or their designees, shall serve as ex-officio members of the board.

(b) The Low-Income Energy Advisory Board shall advise and assist the Office of Policy and Management and the Department of Social Services in the planning, development, implementation and coordination of energy-assistance-related programs and policies and low-income weatherization assistance programs and policies, shall advise the Department of Public Utility Control regarding the impact of utility rates and policies, and shall make recommendations to the General Assembly regarding (1) legislation and plans subject to legislative approval, and (2) administration of the block grant program authorized under the Low-Income Energy Assistance Act, as described in section 16a-41a, to ensure affordable access to residential energy services to low-income state residents.

(c) [The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management or the person designated by the secretary pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be the chairperson of the board.] On an annual basis, the board shall elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among its members.

(d) [The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall convene the first meeting of the board not later than August 1, 2005. The secretary shall provide notice of meetings to the members of Low-Income Energy Advisory Board, provide space for such meetings, maintain minutes and publish reports of the board.] The Low-Income Energy Advisory Board shall be within the Office of Policy and Management for administrative purposes only.

Statement of Legislative Commissioners:

In section 1(a), "Department of Public Utility Control" was changed to "Public Utilities Control Authority" for accuracy.