House File 687 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY T. OLSON Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act providing for the establishment of an energy=efficient 2 appliance assistance grant program and fund, and making an 3 appropriation. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 2688HH 82 6 rn/cf/24 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 216A.104 ENERGY=EFFICIENT 1 2 APPLIANCE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM. 1 3 The division shall establish an energy=efficient appliance 1 4 assistance grant program. The purpose of the program is to 1 5 make distributions in the form of grants to individuals or 1 6 families with incomes at or below one hundred percent of the 1 7 federal poverty level as defined by the most recently revised 1 8 poverty income guidelines published by the United States 1 9 department of health and human services. The grants shall be 1 10 in amounts of up to twenty percent of the purchase price of 1 11 household appliances meeting the energy star efficiency rating 1 12 developed by the United States environmental protection agency 1 13 and affixed with the energy star label. Application forms and 1 14 approval criteria for participation in the program shall be 1 15 established by the administrator by rule. 1 16 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 216A.105 ENERGY=EFFICIENT APPLIANCE 1 17 ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM == FUND ESTABLISHED == APPROPRIATION. 1 18 1. An energy=efficient appliance assistance grant program 1 19 fund is created in the state treasury to be administered by 1 20 the division. Moneys deposited in or appropriated to the fund 1 21 shall be used to administer the energy=efficient appliance 1 22 assistance grant program and make program grants pursuant to 1 23 section 216A.104. 1 24 2. There is annually appropriated from the general fund of 1 25 the state to the division the sum of two hundred fifty 1 26 thousand dollars for deposit into the fund to administer the 1 27 energy=efficient appliance assistance grant program. 1 28 Notwithstanding section 8.33, moneys appropriated in this 1 29 section that remain unencumbered or unobligated at the close 1 30 of the fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain available 1 31 for expenditure for the purposes designated until the close of 1 32 the succeeding fiscal year. 1 33 EXPLANATION 1 34 This bill establishes an energy=efficient appliance grant 1 35 program within the division of community action agencies of 2 1 the department of human rights to assist low=income 2 2 individuals or families with the purchase of energy=efficiency 2 3 household appliances. 2 4 The bill requires that individuals or families have incomes 2 5 at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level as 2 6 defined by the most recently revised poverty income guidelines 2 7 published by the United States department of health and human 2 8 services in order to qualify for a grant. Grants shall be in 2 9 amounts of up to 20 percent of the purchase price of a 2 10 household appliance which meets the energy star efficiency 2 11 rating developed by the United States environmental protection 2 12 agency. The bill states that application forms and approval 2 13 criteria for participation in the program shall be established 2 14 by the administrator of the division by rule, and appropriates 2 15 $250,000 annually to the division for deposit into an 2 16 energy=efficient appliance assistance grant program fund to 2 17 administer the program and make program grants. 2 18 LSB 2688HH 82 2 19 rn:nh/cf/24