PRINTER'S NO. 185
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.232
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY CIRESI, SANCHEZ, MADSEN, HILL-EVANS, HOHENSTEIN,
HOWARD, FREEMAN, WEBSTER, CERRATO AND GREEN, JANUARY 22, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ENERGY, JANUARY 22, 2025
AN ACT
Providing for grants for renewable energy backup systems for the
community; and making an interfund transfer.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Sustainable
Community Safe House Grant Program Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Commission." The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
"Department." The Department of Community and Economic
Development of the Commonwealth.
"Eligible political subdivision." A county, city, borough,
incorporated town or township and any council of governments
established among any of them.
"Fund." The State Sustainable Energy Fund established under
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18 section 4(a).
"Program." The Sustainable Community Safe House Grant
Program established under section 3(a).
Section 3. Sustainable Community Safe House Grant Program.
(a) Establishment.--The Sustainable Community Safe House
Grant Program is established within the commission for the
purpose of providing grants under this act.
(b) Grants.--The commission shall award grants to eligible
political subdivisions for the purpose of creating and
maintaining renewable energy backup systems for the community. A
grant awarded under this act may not exceed $250,000.
Section 4. State Sustainable Energy Fund.
(a) Establishment.--The State Sustainable Energy Fund is
established as a separate fund within the State Treasury. Money
in the fund shall be used for the purpose of this act.
(b) Continuing appropriation.--Money in the fund is
appropriated to the commission on a continuing basis to award
grants under this act.
(c) Transfer.--The sum of $100,000,000 shall be transferred
from the General Fund to the fund.
Section 5. Administration.
(a) Guidelines.--The department shall promulgate guidelines
for the implementation and administration of this act.
(b) Application.--An application for a grant under this act
shall be submitted by an eligible political subdivision in the
form and manner as prescribed by the commission, which shall
contain, at a minimum, the following information:
(1) The name and contact information of the applicant.
(2) The address of the proposed sustainable community
safe house, and its current use, if applicable.
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30 (3) The amount of grant money requested.
(4) The proposed use for the grant money requested.
(5) A description of the proposed sustainable energy
generation and storage plan.
(6) A description of how this supports the community.
(7) Any other information that the commission deems
necessary and appropriate.
(c) Public notice.--The commission shall provide information
regarding the availability and award of grant money on the
commission's publicly accessible Internet website.
Section 6. Awarding of grants.
(a) Determination.--Within 20 days of the submission of an
application for a grant under section 5(b), the commission shall
determine:
(1) Whether to disapprove, in total or in part, or
approve the application.
(2) If approved, the amount of the grant award.
(b) Considerations.--In awarding grant money to an eligible
political subdivision, the commission shall consider the
following:
(1) Geographic and demographic diversity of the
political subdivision applying for the grant money.
(2) How the community and other individuals within the
eligible political subdivision would be served through the
awarding of the grant to the eligible political subdivision.
(c) Notice.--
(1) The commission shall provide written notice to the
eligible political subdivision of the approval or disapproval
of an application submitted under section 5(b).
(2) If the application is approved, the notice of the
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30 award of grant money shall include the amount of the grant
money awarded and any conditions or restrictions on the use
of the grant money.
(3) If the application is disapproved, the notice of the
disapproval of all or part of the application shall include
the reasons for the full or partial disapproval.
(4) The commission shall provide copies of all notices
to the department when they are provided to the department
and shall provide other documents, information and data to
the department immediately upon request.
Section 7. Report.
(a) Preparation.--By September 30, 2026, the department
shall prepare a report that lists each eligible political
subdivision that received a grant under this act and a summary
of the information required under section 5(b).
(b) Publication.--The report under subsection (a) shall be
posted on the department's publicly accessible Internet website.
Section 8. Expiration.
This act shall expire December 31, 2026.
Section 9. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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