Massachusetts 2023-2024 Regular Session

Massachusetts Senate Bill S894 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2221 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
3	3	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 894
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Mark C. Montigny
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act to provide sewer and water rate relief.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Mark C. MontignySecond Bristol and Plymouth 1 of 2
16	16	SENATE DOCKET, NO. 2221 FILED ON: 1/20/2023
17	17	SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 894
18	18	By Mr. Montigny, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 894) of Mark C. Montigny for
19	19	legislation to establish a low-income sewer and water assistance program. Housing.
20	20	[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
21	21	SEE SENATE, NO. 901 OF 2021-2022.]
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
25	25	(2023-2024)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act to provide sewer and water rate relief.
28	28	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
29	29	of the same, as follows:
30	30	1 SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any general or specific law to the contrary, section 24B of
31	31	2chapter 23B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended
32	32	3by striking out in its entirety and inserting in place thereof the following new text:-
33	33	4 Section 24B. The department shall, subject to appropriation, operate a low-income sewer
34	34	5and water assistance program to provide assistance in paying the sewer and water bills of
35	35	6homeowners who are eligible for the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program, so called,
36	36	7created by the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Act, 42 United States Code sections 8621
37	37	8et seq., or any successor acts thereto. Said program may be administered in coordination with the
38	38	9Low-income Home Energy Assistance Act, 42 United States Code sections 8621 et seq., or any
39	39	10successor acts thereto, subject to the following provisions: shall establish benefit rates and 2 of 2
40	40	11maximum benefits such that total benefits paid do not exceed the amount appropriated for this
41	41	12benefit;
42	42	13 (a) the department shall use the same grantee agencies, similar applications and similar
43	43	14verification procedures as are used in the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, to the
44	44	15maximum extent possible. Grantee agencies shall utilize a reasonable percentage of any funds
45	45	16appropriated, not exceeding 10 per cent of such funds, for administrative costs of the program.
46	46	17 (b) the benefit level provided to any individual household eligible under this program
47	47	18shall not be greater than 25 per cent of the total annual water and sewer bill for the household;
48	48	19provided, however, that the department shall establish benefit rates and maximum benefits such
49	49	20that total benefits paid do not exceed the amount appropriated for this benefit.
50	50	21 (c) households which receive benefits under this program shall not unreasonably refuse to
51	51	22cooperate with any demand-side water conservation programs which are provided at no expense
52	52	23to the household by any local agency or authority.