Bill Text: PA SB156 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Providing for home energy assistance to certain persons through payment of matching funds to the hardship funds of certain home energy providers and for powers and duties of the Department of Public Welfare.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-02-11 - Re-referred to APPROPRIATIONS [SB156 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-SB156-Introduced.html

  

 

    

PRINTER'S NO.  126

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

SENATE BILL

 

No.

156

Session of

2009

  

  

INTRODUCED BY TOMLINSON, GREENLEAF, BOSCOLA, TARTAGLIONE, ORIE, ERICKSON, WONDERLING, PIPPY, BROWNE, RAFFERTY, FONTANA, FERLO, COSTA, STACK, LOGAN, MUSTO, WILLIAMS AND FARNESE, JANUARY 30, 2009

  

  

REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY, JANUARY 30, 2009  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Providing for home energy assistance to certain persons through

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payment of matching funds to the hardship funds of certain

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home energy providers and for powers and duties of the

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Department of Public Welfare.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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Section 1.  Short title.

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This act shall be known and may be cited as the Home Energy

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Assistance Act.

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Section 2.  Declaration of policy.

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The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

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(1)  The Federal Government recognized the importance of

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aiding low-income families with heating their homes when it

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created the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program in

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1981.

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(2)  Other states have recognized the need to supplement

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these Federal funds for home energy assistance with state

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funds.

 


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(3)  The Commonwealth recognizes the importance of

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allocating State funds to aid families struggling with

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heating costs that do not fall within the guidelines of the

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Federal program.

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(4)  Heating oil and propane gas companies and public

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utilities that provide electricity and natural gas also

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recognize the need to contribute funds for home energy

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assistance by their establishment of hardship funds.

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Section 3.  Definitions.

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The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

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have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

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context clearly indicates otherwise:

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"Average monthly degree day."  The average daily temperature

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for a given month.

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"Department."  The Department of Public Welfare of the

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Commonwealth.

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"Eligible ratepayer."  A ratepayer whose payment to a home

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energy provider for service is delinquent or has otherwise

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extenuating circumstances and whose income falls between 151%

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and 200% of the Federal poverty guidelines as reported by the

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United States Department of Health and Human Services.

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"Hardship fund."  Funds established by a home energy provider

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to provide cash assistance to those ratepayers who have

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exhausted all other resources for payment of electricity,

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heating oil, natural gas or propane gas bills.

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"Heating season."  The months of November, December, January,

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February and March, consecutively.

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"Home energy provider."  A heating oil or propane gas company

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or a public utility that provides electricity or natural gas to

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ratepayers in this Commonwealth.

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"Ratepayer."  A person in whose name a residential service

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account is listed with a home energy provider and who is

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primarily responsible for payment of a bill rendered for

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service.

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Section 4.  Matching funds.

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(a)  Commonwealth share.--The department shall provide

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matching funds based upon the amount contributed by the

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stockholders, employees and ratepayers of home energy providers

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to their hardship funds as contained in the most recent data

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reported to the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission or

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obtained otherwise.

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(b)  Distribution.--The department shall only distribute

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matching funds when the Statewide average monthly degree days in

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a heating season are 10% colder than the Statewide average

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monthly degree days for a heating season for the previous ten

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years as reported by the National Weather Service or obtained

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otherwise.

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Section 5.  Application procedure.

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(a)  Time for filing.--A home energy provider may apply for

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matching funds and must notify the department of its intent to

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do so during the period of January 1 to February 1.

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(b)  Contents of application.--The application shall be in

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such form as prescribed by the department and shall contain:

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(1)  The amount to be credited to the home energy

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provider into its hardship fund.

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(2)  Identification of a nonprofit entity that has agreed

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to evaluate the financial condition of ratepayers, with their

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consent, in order to assist the home energy provider with its

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determination of whether the ratepayers should receive credit

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through the hardship fund.

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(3)  Such other information as required by the

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department.

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Section 6.  Distribution.

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Moneys appropriated to the department for purposes of section

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4 shall, upon certification by the department of qualified funds

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in a home energy provider's hardship fund, remit the matching

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funds to the home energy provider no later than April 1.

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Section 7.  Rules and regulations.

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The department may promulgate any rules and regulations it

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determines necessary for the administration of this act.

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Section 20.  Effective date.

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This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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