Substitute Senate Bill No. 384
Public Act No. 24-37
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 Section 16a-41b of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2024):
(a) There shall be a Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board
which shall consist of the following members or their designees: (1) A
representative of each electric and gas public service company
designated by each such company; (2) the chairperson of the Public
Utilities Regulatory Authority; (3) the Consumer Counsel; (4) the chief
executive [director] officer of Operation Fuel; (5) the executive director
of Infoline; (6) the director of the Connecticut Local Administrators of
Social Services; (7) [the executive director of Legal Assistance Resource
Center of Connecticut] a representative of Connecticut Legal Services,
Inc., Greater Hartford Legal Aid or the New Haven Legal Assistance
Association, designated by Connecticut Legal Services, Inc.; (8) the
Connecticut state director of AARP; (9) a designee of the Norwich Public
Utility; (10) a designee of the Independent Connecticut Petroleum
Association; (11) two representatives of water companies as defined in
section 25-32a, designated by the Connecticut Water Works Association;
(12) the executive director of the Connecticut Fair Housing Center; (13) Substitute Senate Bill No. 384
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the executive director of the Center for Children's Advocacy; (14) the
executive director of the Connecticut Green Building Council; and (15)
two representatives 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 and the Commissioners of Social Services and Energy and
Environmental Protection, or their designees, shall serve as nonvoting
members of the board.
(b) The Low-Income Energy and Water 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 Energy and Environmental Protection
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, as amended by this act, to ensure
affordable access to residential energy services to low-income state
residents.
(c) The Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board may advise
and assist the Office of Policy and Management, the Department of
Social Services and the Department of Energy and Environmental
Protection in the planning, development, implementation and
coordination of water-assistance-related programs and policies,
including programs and policies to alleviate the impact of utility rates,
and shall make recommendations to the General Assembly regarding
the availability and implementation of heating and water assistance
programs that benefit low-income and moderate-income households, Substitute Senate Bill No. 384
Public Act No. 24-37 3 of 4
including, but not limited to, the Connecticut Low Income Household
Water Assistance Program.
[(c)] (d) The board shall elect a chairperson and a vice-chairperson
from among its voting members.
[(d)] (e) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection,
or his or her designee, shall provide notice of meetings to the members
of the Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board, provide space
for such meetings, maintain minutes and publish reports of the board.
[(e)] (f) The Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board shall
convene and devise recommendations to improve the availability,
administration and implementation of heating and water assistance
programs, particularly those created to benefit low-income households,
through coordination and optimization of existing energy efficiency,
water conservation and energy assistance programs. [Such
recommendations shall consider: (1) How the Department of Energy
and Environmental Protection, Department of Social Services,
community action agencies, as defined in section 17b-885, electric
distribution companies, as defined in section 16-1, and municipal
electric utilities, as defined in section 7-233b, can securely share heating
assistance program applicant data, with respect to customer energy
usage levels, past participation and eligibility for energy assistance and
energy efficiency programs, and other data deemed relevant to improve
coordination among such programs and program administrators; (2) the
costs and benefits of current energy assistance and energy efficiency
programs and how to maximize customer benefits through such
customers' participation in any combination of energy assistance and
energy efficiency programs; (3) how to streamline the application
process for energy assistance and energy efficiency program applicants
and the possible development of joint electronic applications; (4) how to
make energy assistance and energy efficiency programs more accessible
and feasible for tenants in rental housing units, including, but not Substitute Senate Bill No. 384
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limited to, how to best secure landlord permission for such services; and
(5) coordination efforts to best improve boiler and furnace replacement
programs.] Not later than [January 1, 2016] October 15, 2024, and
biennially thereafter, the Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory
Board shall report such recommendations, in accordance with section
11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having
cognizance of matters relating to energy, appropriations and human
services.
Sec. 2. Subsection (g) of section 16a-41a of the 2024 supplement to the
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
thereof (Effective July 1, 2024):
(g) The Commissioner of Social Services shall submit each plan or
report described in subsection (a) of this section to the Low-Income
Energy and Water Advisory Board, established pursuant to section 16a-
41b, as amended by this act, not later than seven days prior to
submitting such plan or report to the joint standing committee of the
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to energy and
technology, appropriations and human services.