Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota House Bill HF771 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1.1 A bill for an act
2	2	1.2 relating to energy; appropriating money for supplemental energy assistance;
3	3	1.3 requiring an annual report; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
4	4	1.4 chapter 216C.
5	5	1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
6	6	1.6 Section 1. [216C.392] SUPPLEMENTAL ENERGY ASSISTANCE GRANT
7	7	1.7PROGRAM.
8	8	1.8 Subdivision 1.Definition.For the purposes of this section, "LIHEAP" has the meaning
9	9	1.9given in section 142G.02, subdivision 59.
10	10	1.10 Subd. 2.Establishment.A supplemental energy assistance grant program is established
11	11	1.11in the department to award grants to eligible applicants.
12	12	1.12 Subd. 3.Applications; procedures.(a) The commissioner must develop policies and
13	13	1.13procedures governing the grant application and award process.
14	14	1.14 (b) An eligible applicant must file an application with the commissioner on a form
15	15	1.15developed by the commissioner.
16	16	1.16 (c) The commissioner must accept grant applications under this section throughout the
17	17	1.17year.
18	18	1.18 Subd. 4.Eligibility.A Minnesota resident whose household income is less than 60
19	19	1.19percent of the state median household income is eligible for a grant awarded under this
20	20	1.20section.
21	21	1.21 Subd. 5.Grant awards.(a) When awarding grants under this section, the commissioner
22	22	1.22must give priority to expanding the number of households receiving energy assistance over
23	23	1Section 1.
24	24	REVISOR RSI/CH 25-0061301/09/25
25	25	State of Minnesota
26	26	This Document can be made available
27	27	in alternative formats upon request
28	28	HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
29	29	H. F. No. 771
30	30	NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
31	31	Authored by Kraft, Howard, Jones, Reyer, Hollins and others02/13/2025
32	32	The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Energy Finance and Policy 2.1increasing grant amounts to households that already received assistance under LIHEAP
33	33	2.2during the same year.
34	34	2.3 (b) To the extent practicable, available LIHEAP funds must be used for all primary heat
35	35	2.4and crisis grants to eligible households before grants are awarded for heat and crisis grants
36	36	2.5under this section.
37	37	2.6 Subd. 6.Types of grants.The commissioner may award grants for the following:
38	38	2.7 (1) crisis grants to households that received a LIHEAP primary heat grant from federal
39	39	2.8funds but did not receive the maximum crisis grant amount while federal funds allocated
40	40	2.9for crisis grants were available;
41	41	2.10 (2) primary heat and crisis grants to eligible households that did not receive LIHEAP
42	42	2.11primary heat and crisis grants from federal funds;
43	43	2.12 (3) emergency heating system repair or replacement; and
44	44	2.13 (4) grants to support outreach.
45	45	2.14 Subd. 7.Reporting.(a) Beginning December 31, 2026, and annually thereafter until
46	46	2.15December 31, 2031, the commissioner must publish a report regarding state supplemental
47	47	2.16energy assistance funding under this section for the previous program year for October 1
48	48	2.17to September 30.
49	49	2.18 (b) To the extent practicable, the following information on grants awarded under this
50	50	2.19section must be reported by statewide total and by county:
51	51	2.20 (1) the number of households served;
52	52	2.21 (2) the average household primary heat benefit;
53	53	2.22 (3) the average household crisis benefit; and
54	54	2.23 (4) total energy costs.
55	55	2.24 (c) The following information on grants awarded under this section may be reported as
56	56	2.25statewide totals:
57	57	2.26 (1) the average household income;
58	58	2.27 (2) income by percentage of the federal poverty level established by the United States
59	59	2.28Department of Health and Human Services;
60	60	2.29 (3) the number of households that include a person over 60 years old;
61	61	2.30 (4) the number of households that include a disabled person;
62	62	2Section 1.
63	63	REVISOR RSI/CH 25-0061301/09/25 3.1 (5) the number of households that include a child under six years old; and
64	64	3.2 (6) the number of households served by race or ethnicity.
65	65	3.3 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
66	66	3.4 (a) $....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
67	67	3.5of commerce for the supplemental energy assistance grant program. This is a onetime
68	68	3.6appropriation and is available until June 30, 2031.
69	69	3.7 (b) Of the amount appropriated in paragraph (a):
70	70	3.8 (1) up to ten percent may be used to administer the supplemental energy assistance grant
71	71	3.9program under Minnesota Statutes, section 216C.392, of which up to 2.5 percent may be
72	72	3.10used by the Department of Commerce. The remaining amount allocated under this clause
73	73	3.11may be used to reimburse reasonable administrative costs incurred under Minnesota Statutes,
74	74	3.12section 216C.392, by service providers contracted by the Department of Commerce to
75	75	3.13deliver LIHEAP services, including services under Minnesota Statutes, section 216C.392;
76	76	3.14and
77	77	3.15 (2) up to five percent may be used to reimburse the reasonable costs incurred under
78	78	3.16Minnesota Statutes, section 216C.392, by organizations the department has contracted with
79	79	3.17to provide outreach and assistance to households to complete grant applications under
80	80	3.18Minnesota Statutes, section 216C.392. Organizations that have the ability to conduct outreach
81	81	3.19to underserved communities and populations, including current service providers and other
82	82	3.20organizations, must be prioritized for outreach funding.
83	83	3Sec. 2.
84	84	REVISOR RSI/CH 25-0061301/09/25