Connecticut 2024 Regular Session

Connecticut Senate Bill SB00384 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

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	5	+	General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 384
	6	+	February Session, 2024
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4		-	Substitute Senate Bill No. 384
5		-
6		-	Public Act No. 24-37
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8	11
9	12		AN ACT CONCERNING THE LOW -INCOME ENERGY ADVISORY
10	13		BOARD.
11	14		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
12	15		Assembly convened:
13	16
14		-	Section 1. Section 16a-41b of the general statutes is repealed and the
15		-	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2024):
16		-	(a) There shall be a Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board
17		-	which shall consist of the following members or their designees: (1) A
18		-	representative of each electric and gas public service company
19		-	designated by each such company; (2) the chairperson of the Public
20		-	Utilities Regulatory Authority; (3) the Consumer Counsel; (4) the chief
21		-	executive [director] officer of Operation Fuel; (5) the executive director
22		-	of Infoline; (6) the director of the Connecticut Local Administrators of
23		-	Social Services; (7) [the executive director of Legal Assistance Resource
24		-	Center of Connecticut] a representative of Connecticut Legal Services,
25		-	Inc., Greater Hartford Legal Aid or the New Haven Legal Assistance
26		-	Association, designated by Connecticut Legal Services, Inc.; (8) the
27		-	Connecticut state director of AARP; (9) a designee of the Norwich Public
28		-	Utility; (10) a designee of the Independent Connecticut Petroleum
29		-	Association; (11) two representatives of water companies as defined in
30		-	section 25-32a, designated by the Connecticut Water Works Association;
31		-	(12) the executive director of the Connecticut Fair Housing Center; (13) Substitute Senate Bill No. 384
	17	+	Section 1. Section 16a-41b of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
	18	+	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2024): 2
	19	+	(a) There shall be a Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board 3
	20	+	which shall consist of the following members or their designees: (1) A 4
	21	+	representative of each electric and gas public service company 5
	22	+	designated by each such company; (2) the chairperson of the Public 6
	23	+	Utilities Regulatory Authority; (3) the Consumer Counsel; (4) the chief 7
	24	+	executive [director] officer of Operation Fuel; (5) the executive director 8
	25	+	of Infoline; (6) the director of the Connecticut Local Administrators of 9
	26	+	Social Services; (7) [the executive director of Legal Assistance Resource 10
	27	+	Center of Connecticut] a designee of Connecticut Legal Services, Inc.; (8) 11
	28	+	the Connecticut state director of AARP; (9) a designee of the Norwich 12
	29	+	Public Utility; (10) a designee of the Independent Connecticut 13
	30	+	Petroleum Association; (11) two representatives of water companies as 14
	31	+	defined in section 25-32a, designated by the Connecticut Water Works 15
	32	+	Association; (12) the executive director of the Connecticut Fair Housing 16
	33	+	Center; (13) the executive director of the Center for Children's 17
	34	+	Advocacy; (14) the executive director of the Connecticut Green Building 18
	35	+	Council; and (15) two representatives of the community action agencies 19 Substitute Bill No. 384
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33		-	Public Act No. 24-37 2 of 4
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35		-	the executive director of the Center for Children's Advocacy; (14) the
36		-	executive director of the Connecticut Green Building Council; and (15)
37		-	two representatives of the community action agencies administering
38		-	energy assistance programs under contract with the Department of
39		-	Social Services, designated by the Connecticut Association for
40		-	Community Action. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and
41		-	Management and the Commissioners of Social Services and Energy and
42		-	Environmental Protection, or their designees, shall serve as nonvoting
43		-	members of the board.
44		-	(b) The Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board shall advise
45		-	and assist the Office of Policy and Management and the Department of
46		-	Social Services in the planning, development, implementation and
47		-	coordination of energy-assistance-related programs and policies and
48		-	low-income weatherization assistance programs and policies, shall
49		-	advise the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
50		-	regarding the impact of utility rates and policies, and shall make
51		-	recommendations to the General Assembly regarding (1) legislation and
52		-	plans subject to legislative approval, and (2) administration of the block
53		-	grant program authorized under the Low-Income Energy Assistance
54		-	Act, as described in section 16a-41a, as amended by this act, to ensure
55		-	affordable access to residential energy services to low-income state
56		-	residents.
57		-	(c) The Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board may advise
58		-	and assist the Office of Policy and Management, the Department of
59		-	Social Services and the Department of Energy and Environmental
60		-	Protection in the planning, development, implementation and
61		-	coordination of water-assistance-related programs and policies,
62		-	including programs and policies to alleviate the impact of utility rates,
63		-	and shall make recommendations to the General Assembly regarding
64		-	the availability and implementation of heating and water assistance
65		-	programs that benefit low-income and moderate-income households, Substitute Senate Bill No. 384
	38	+	LCO 2 of 4
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67		-	Public Act No. 24-37 3 of 4
	40	+	administering energy assistance programs under contract with the 20
	41	+	Department of Social Services, designated by the Connecticut 21
	42	+	Association for Community Action. The Secretary of the Office of Policy 22
	43	+	and Management and the Commissioners of Social Services and Energy 23
	44	+	and Environmental Protection, or their designees, shall serve as 24
	45	+	nonvoting members of the board. 25
	46	+	(b) The Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board shall advise 26
	47	+	and assist the Office of Policy and Management and the Department of 27
	48	+	Social Services in the planning, development, implementation and 28
	49	+	coordination of energy-assistance-related programs and policies and 29
	50	+	low-income weatherization assistance programs and policies, shall 30
	51	+	advise the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection 31
	52	+	regarding the impact of utility rates and policies, and shall make 32
	53	+	recommendations to the General Assembly regarding (1) legislation and 33
	54	+	plans subject to legislative approval, and (2) administration of the block 34
	55	+	grant program authorized under the Low-Income Energy Assistance 35
	56	+	Act, as described in section 16a-41a, as amended by this act, to ensure 36
	57	+	affordable access to residential energy services to low-income state 37
	58	+	residents. 38
	59	+	(c) The Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board may advise 39
	60	+	and assist the Office of Policy and Management, the Department of 40
	61	+	Social Services and the Department of Energy and Environmental 41
	62	+	Protection in the planning, development, implementation and 42
	63	+	coordination of water-assistance-related programs and policies, 43
	64	+	including programs and policies to alleviate the impact of utility rates, 44
	65	+	and shall make recommendations to the General Assembly regarding 45
	66	+	the availability and implementation of heating and water assistance 46
	67	+	programs that benefit low-income and moderate-income households, 47
	68	+	including, but not limited to, the Connecticut Low Income Household 48
	69	+	Water Assistance Program. 49
	70	+	[(c)] (d) The board shall elect a chairperson and a vice-chairperson 50
	71	+	from among its voting members. 51 Substitute Bill No. 384
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69		-	including, but not limited to, the Connecticut Low Income Household
70		-	Water Assistance Program.
71		-	[(c)] (d) The board shall elect a chairperson and a vice-chairperson
72		-	from among its voting members.
73		-	[(d)] (e) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection,
74		-	or his or her designee, shall provide notice of meetings to the members
75		-	of the Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board, provide space
76		-	for such meetings, maintain minutes and publish reports of the board.
77		-	[(e)] (f) The Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board shall
78		-	convene and devise recommendations to improve the availability,
79		-	administration and implementation of heating and water assistance
80		-	programs, particularly those created to benefit low-income households,
81		-	through coordination and optimization of existing energy efficiency,
82		-	water conservation and energy assistance programs. [Such
83		-	recommendations shall consider: (1) How the Department of Energy
84		-	and Environmental Protection, Department of Social Services,
85		-	community action agencies, as defined in section 17b-885, electric
86		-	distribution companies, as defined in section 16-1, and municipal
87		-	electric utilities, as defined in section 7-233b, can securely share heating
88		-	assistance program applicant data, with respect to customer energy
89		-	usage levels, past participation and eligibility for energy assistance and
90		-	energy efficiency programs, and other data deemed relevant to improve
91		-	coordination among such programs and program administrators; (2) the
92		-	costs and benefits of current energy assistance and energy efficiency
93		-	programs and how to maximize customer benefits through such
94		-	customers' participation in any combination of energy assistance and
95		-	energy efficiency programs; (3) how to streamline the application
96		-	process for energy assistance and energy efficiency program applicants
97		-	and the possible development of joint electronic applications; (4) how to
98		-	make energy assistance and energy efficiency programs more accessible
99		-	and feasible for tenants in rental housing units, including, but not Substitute Senate Bill No. 384
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101		-	~~Public Act No. 24-37~~ 4 of 4
	74	+	LCO 3 of 4
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103		-	limited to, how to best secure landlord permission for such services; and
104		-	(5) coordination efforts to best improve boiler and furnace replacement
105		-	programs.] Not later than [January 1, 2016] October 15, 2024, and
106		-	biennially thereafter, the Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory
107		-	Board shall report such recommendations, in accordance with section
108		-	11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having
109		-	cognizance of matters relating to energy, appropriations and human
110		-	services.
111		-	Sec. 2. Subsection (g) of section 16a-41a of the 2024 supplement to the
112		-	general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
113		-	thereof (Effective July 1, 2024):
114		-	(g) The Commissioner of Social Services shall submit each plan or
115		-	report described in subsection (a) of this section to the Low-Income
116		-	Energy and Water Advisory Board, established pursuant to section 16a-
117		-	41b, as amended by this act, not later than seven days prior to
118		-	submitting such plan or report to the joint standing committee of the
119		-	General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to energy and
120		-	technology, appropriations and human services.
	76	+	[(d)] (e) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, 52
	77	+	or his or her designee, shall provide notice of meetings to the members 53
	78	+	of the Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board, provide space 54
	79	+	for such meetings, maintain minutes and publish reports of the board. 55
	80	+	[(e)] (f) The Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory Board shall 56
	81	+	convene and devise recommendations to improve the availability, 57
	82	+	administration and implementation of heating and water assistance 58
	83	+	programs, particularly those created to benefit low-income households, 59
	84	+	through coordination and optimization of existing energy efficiency, 60
	85	+	water conservation and energy assistance programs. [Such 61
	86	+	recommendations shall consider: (1) How the Department of Energy 62
	87	+	and Environmental Protection, Department of Social Services, 63
	88	+	community action agencies, as defined in section 17b-885, electric 64
	89	+	distribution companies, as defined in section 16-1, and municipal 65
	90	+	electric utilities, as defined in section 7-233b, can securely share heating 66
	91	+	assistance program applicant data, with respect to customer energy 67
	92	+	usage levels, past participation and eligibility for energy assistance and 68
	93	+	energy efficiency programs, and other data deemed relevant to improve 69
	94	+	coordination among such programs and program administrators; (2) the 70
	95	+	costs and benefits of current energy assistance and energy efficiency 71
	96	+	programs and how to maximize customer benefits through such 72
	97	+	customers' participation in any combination of energy assistance and 73
	98	+	energy efficiency programs; (3) how to streamline the application 74
	99	+	process for energy assistance and energy efficiency program applicants 75
	100	+	and the possible development of joint electronic applications; (4) how to 76
	101	+	make energy assistance and energy efficiency programs more accessible 77
	102	+	and feasible for tenants in rental housing units, including, but not 78
	103	+	limited to, how to best secure landlord permission for such services; and 79
	104	+	(5) coordination efforts to best improve boiler and furnace replacement 80
	105	+	programs.] Not later than [January 1, 2016] October 15, 2024, and 81
	106	+	biennially thereafter, the Low-Income Energy and Water Advisory 82
	107	+	Board shall report such recommendations, in accordance with section 83
	108	+	11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having 84
	109	+	cognizance of matters relating to energy, appropriations and human 85 Substitute Bill No. 384
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	111	+
	112	+	LCO 4 of 4
	113	+
	114	+	services. 86
	115	+	Sec. 2. Subsection (g) of section 16a-41a of the 2024 supplement to the 87
	116	+	general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 88
	117	+	thereof (Effective July 1, 2024): 89
	118	+	(g) The Commissioner of Social Services shall submit each plan or 90
	119	+	report described in subsection (a) of this section to the Low-Income 91
	120	+	Energy and Water Advisory Board, established pursuant to section 16a-92
	121	+	41b, as amended by this act, not later than seven days prior to 93
	122	+	submitting such plan or report to the joint standing committee of the 94
	123	+	General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to energy and 95
	124	+	technology, appropriations and human services. 96
	125	+	This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
	126	+	sections:
	127	+
	128	+	Section 1 July 1, 2024 16a-41b
	129	+	Sec. 2 July 1, 2024 16a-41a(g)
	130	+
	131	+	ET Joint Favorable Subst.
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