House Study Bill 92
SENATE/HOUSE FILE
BY (PROPOSED LOW=INCOME HOME ENERGY
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND WEATHERIZATION
PROGRAM STUDY COMMITTEE BILL)
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act establishing an energy utility assessment and resolution
2 program for certain persons with low incomes who have or need
3 a deferred payment agreement to address home energy utility
4 costs and making an appropriation.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 216A.104 ENERGY UTILITY
1 2 ASSESSMENT AND RESOLUTION PROGRAM.
1 3 1. The general assembly finds that provision of assistance
1 4 to prevent utility disconnections will also prevent the
1 5 development of public health risks due to such disconnections.
1 6 The division shall establish an energy utility assessment and
1 7 resolution program administered by each community action
1 8 agency for persons with low incomes who have or need a
1 9 deferred payment agreement or are in need of an emergency fuel
1 10 delivery to address home energy utility costs.
1 11 2. A person must meet all of the following requirements to
1 12 be eligible for the program:
1 13 a. The person is eligible for the federal low=income home
1 14 energy assistance program.
1 15 b. The person is a residential customer of an energy
1 16 utility approved for the program by the division.
1 17 c. The person has or is in need of a deferred payment
1 18 agreement to address the person's home energy utility costs.
1 19 d. The person is able to maintain or regain residential
1 20 energy utility service in the person's own name.
1 21 e. The person provides the information necessary to
1 22 determine the person's eligibility for the program.
1 23 f. The person complies with other eligibility requirements
1 24 adopted in rules by the division.
1 25 3. The program components shall include but are not
1 26 limited to all of the following:
1 27 a. Analysis of a program participant's current financial
1 28 situation.
1 29 b. Review of a program participant's resource and money
1 30 management options.
1 31 c. Skills development and assistance for a program
1 32 participant in negotiating a deferred payment agreement with
1 33 the participant's energy utility.
1 34 d. Development of a written household energy affordability
1 35 plan.
2 1 e. Provision of energy conservation training and
2 2 assistance.
2 3 f. A requirement that a program participant must make
2 4 uninterrupted, regular utility payments while participating in
2 5 the program.
2 6 4. The division shall implement accountability measures
2 7 for the program and require regular reporting on the measures
2 8 by the community action agencies.
2 9 5. The division shall implement the program statewide,
2 10 subject to the funding made available for the program.
2 11 6. This section is repealed on July 1, 2010.
2 12 Sec. 2. ENERGY UTILITY ASSESSMENT AND RESOLUTION PROGRAM
2 13 == APPROPRIATION. There is appropriated from the general fund
2 14 of the state to the division of community action agencies of
2 15 the department of human rights for the fiscal year beginning
2 16 July 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2008, the following amount,
2 17 or so much thereof as is necessary, to be used for the purpose
2 18 designated:
2 19 For implementation of the energy utility assessment and
2 20 resolution program in accordance with section 216A.104, as
2 21 enacted by this Act:
2 22 .................................................. $ 1,000,000
2 23 EXPLANATION
2 24 This bill creates an energy utility assessment and
2 25 resolution program for certain persons with low incomes who
2 26 have or need a deferred payment agreement to address home
2 27 energy utility costs. The bill establishes a legislative
2 28 finding that the provision of assistance to prevent utility
2 29 disconnections will prevent certain public health risks. The
2 30 program is established in the division of community action
2 31 agencies of the department of human rights in new Code section
2 32 216A.104.
2 33 Individual eligibility requirements and program components
2 34 are specified in the bill. The program is to be administered
2 35 by each community action agency and each agency must report on
3 1 accountability measures identified by the division.
3 2 The bill includes an appropriation of $1 million for fiscal
3 3 year 2007=2008 to implement the program.
3 4 The program is repealed in three years on July 1, 2010.
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