PRINTER'S NO. 970
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.921
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY DAVIDSON, HILL-EVANS, WAXMAN, McNEILL, GIRAL,
MADSEN, PIELLI, POWELL, BOYD, KENYATTA, SANCHEZ, BURGOS,
KAZEEM, MADDEN, MALAGARI, RIVERA, DONAHUE, KINKEAD, CIRESI,
DEASY, CERRATO, FLEMING, GUZMAN AND O'MARA, MARCH 17, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND
UTILITIES, MARCH 17, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in general powers and
duties of the Department of Public Welfare, providing for
Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program; and making an
editorial change.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Article II heading of the act of June 13, 1967
(P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, is amended to
read:
ARTICLE II
GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF [ PUBLIC WELFARE] HUMAN SERVICES
Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
Secti on 217. Low-Income Household Water Assistance
Program.--(a) No later than July 1, 2026 , the department, in
consultation with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission,
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18 shall establish the Low-Income Household Water Assistance
Program, to be administered by the department.
(b) The purpose of the program is to provide assistance for
eligible individuals who are water system customers or
wastewater system customers in this Commonwealth for overdue
water system bills or wastewater system bills upon the
termination of the temporary Federal Low-Income Household Water
Assistance Program.
(c) The department shall develop eligibility requirements
under the program in accordance with this subsection, without
limitation. An individual eligible for assistance under the
program must meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Own or rent a home in this Commonwealth.
(2) Be a water system customer or wastewater system customer
and be financially responsible for paying the water system bills
or wastewater system bills.
(3) Have an overdue water system bill or wastewater system
bill, which has resulted in arrearages, a termination notice or
the termination of water system services or wastewater system
services.
(4) Comply with certain income guidelines as determined by
the department.
(d) A water system entity or wastewater system entity may
apply for a grant under the program on behalf of eligible
individuals described under subsection (c) on a form and in a
manner determined by the department. A completed application
must contain all of the following:
(1) The name and contact information of the water system
entity or wastewater system entity seeking the grant.
(2) The names and addresses of the water system customers or
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30 wastewater system customers seeking assistance under the program
along with verification of their eligibility to receive services
under the program.
(3) The amount of the overdue water system bills or
wastewater system bills for the customers seeking assistance
under the program, along with the circumstances that have
resulted from the overdue bills, including arrearages,
termination notices or termination of services.
(e) The department shall review each application under
subsection (d) and determine the amount of the grant to be
awarded, including the designated individuals eligible to
receive assistance under the program and any conditions
regarding the award of the grant.
(f) A grant under the program may only be used for the
following purposes :
(1) Preventing the termination of water system services or
wastewater system services.
(2) Paying past-due water system bills or wastewater system
bills.
(3) Restoring terminated water system services or wastewater
system services.
(g) The following shall apply to reports:
(1) Each July 1 following the effective date of this
subsection, the department shall issue a report on all of the
following:
(i) The water system entities and wastewater system entities
that have sought a grant under the program.
(ii) The water system entities and wastewater system
entities that have received a grant under the program.
(iii) The number of customers who received assistance under
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30 the program, along with the amount and purpose of the grant
received by each customer.
(iv) The total amount of money expended under the program.
(2) The department shall submit each report under this
subsection to all of the following:
(i) The Governor.
(ii) The President pro tempore of the Senate.
(iii) The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(iv) The Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the Senate.
(v) The Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives.
(vi) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee of the
Senate.
(vii) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee of the
House of Representatives.
(3) Each report under this subsection shall be posted on the
publicly accessible Internet website of the department.
(h) Rulemaking authority.--The department shall promulgate
any rules, regulations or guidelines necessary to implement this
section.
(i) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the following meanings:
"Program" means the Low-Income Household Water Assistance
Program established under subsection (a).
"Wastewater system" means as the term "sewer system" is
defined under 25 Pa. Code ยง 94.1 (relating to definitions).
"Water system" means a public water system that serves at
least fifteen service connections used by year-round residents
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30 or regularly serves at least twenty-five year-round residents.
Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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