Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5346 Compare Versions

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

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5	5	2023 -- H 5346
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7	7	LC001161
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
16	16	Introduced By: Representatives Sanchez, Giraldo, Alzate, Kislak, and Biah
17	17	Date Introduced: February 03, 2023
18	18	Referred To: House Health & Human Services
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21	21	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
22	22	SECTION 1. Section 39-1-27.12 of the General Laws in Chapter 39-1 entitled "Public 1
23	23	Utilities Commission" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
24	24	39-1-27.12. Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Enhancement Plan. 3
25	25	(a) The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Enhancement Plan (hereinafter 4
26	26	“LIHEAP Enhancement Plan”) is hereby created to supplement the federal Low Income Home 5
27	27	Energy Assistance Program (“LIHEAP”) funding being received by customers of Rhode Island 6
28	28	electric and gas distribution companies. 7
29	29	(b) Within a period of time sufficient to accomplish the purposes of this section, but not 8
30	30	longer than ninety (90) days after the effective date of this chapter, the department of human 9
31	31	services shall develop a recommended monthly “LIHEAP enhancement charge” rate for the 10
32	32	following year and make a filing with the commission pursuant to this chapter recommending rates. 11
33	33	Thereafter annually, but no later than October 15 of each year, the department shall make filings 12
34	34	with the commission to recommend the LIHEAP enhancement charge rates for each class of 13
35	35	electric and natural gas distribution company customer for the following year. 14
36	36	(c) A LIHEAP enhancement charge approved by the commission shall have the following 15
37	37	limitations: 16
38	38	(1) For electric distribution company customers, the charge shall not be more than ten 17
39	39	dollars ($10.00) per year. 18
40	40	(2) For natural gas distribution company customers, the charge shall not be more than ten 19
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44	44	dollars ($10.00) per year. 1
45	45	(3) The total projected annual revenue for the LIHEAP enhancement plan through charges 2
46	46	to all electric and natural gas distribution company customers shall not exceed seven million five 3
47	47	hundred thousand dollars ($7,500,000) and shall not be below six million five hundred thousand 4
48	48	dollars ($6,500,000). 5
49	49	A minimum of five percent (5%) shall be allocated to provide assistance to customers who 6
50	50	are seeking LIHEAP certification for the sole purpose of entering into an arrearage plan as defined 7
51	51	in § 39-2-1(d)(2) between April 15 and September 30 of each year. Such customers must be a 8
52	52	homeless family or individual transitioning from a shelter into housing and who have provided 9
53	53	documentation acceptable to the department of human services. Any funds remaining at the end of 10
54	54	the fiscal year shall be available for the upcoming winter season. 11
55	55	(d) The commission shall open a docket, to consider for approval, LIHEAP enhancement 12
56	56	charge rates proposed by the department. In reviewing the recommended rates, the commission 13
57	57	shall give due consideration to the recommendations of the department and the standards set forth 14
58	58	in subsection (c). The commission shall issue a decision within sixty (60) days after said 15
59	59	recommendations and report are filed with the commission establishing the enhancement plan 16
60	60	charge rates. 17
61	61	(e) The electric or gas distribution company shall use the funds collected through this 18
62	62	enhancement plan charge to provide a credit to customers’ accounts that are receiving federal 19
63	63	LIHEAP assistance payments in a manner determined by the department of human services. The 20
64	64	department of human services shall designate to the gas- or electric distribution company the 21
65	65	qualifying customer accounts and the amounts to be credited to those customer accounts, provided 22
66	66	that the total amount to be credited to those accounts shall be fully funded by, and not exceed, the 23
67	67	total amount collected through the enhancement plan charge. The electric or gas distribution 24
68	68	company’s added administrative expenses to process the credit assignments provided to it by the 25
69	69	department of human services will be recoverable either from the LIHEAP enhancement charge or 26
70	70	through a separate charge approved by the public utilities commission. 27
71	71	(f) As used in this section, “electric and natural gas distribution company” means a 28
72	72	company as defined in § 39-1-2(a)(12), but not including the Block Island Power Company or the 29
73	73	Pascoag Utility District. 30
74	74	(g)(1) Pilot program. Commencing July 1, 2023, the public utilities commission in 31
75	75	conjunction with the department of human services shall establish an outreach pilot program to 32
76	76	low-income residents eligible for but not enrolled as a member of LIHEAP for the purpose of 33
77	77	increasing enrollment in the program. The pilot program shall be funded by appropriation of funds 34
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81	81	by the general assembly and shall be subject to oversight and audit by the department. 1
82	82	(2) No later than December 1, 2023, the department shall file a written report to the 2
83	83	governor, the speaker of the house, and the president of the senate regarding the effect and/or 3
84	84	success of the outreach program, and recommendations, if necessary, for additional revenues or 4
85	85	appropriations to fund full participation for qualified applicants. 5
86	86	(3) This section shall sunset on September 1, 2025. 6
87	87	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 7
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94	94	EXPLANATION
95	95	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
96	96	OF
97	97	A N A C T
98	98	RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
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100	100	This act would create a two (2) year pilot program within the public utilities commission 1
101	101	(PUC), in conjunction with the department of human services (DHS), for the purpose of increasing 2
102	102	enrollment of low-income residents to participate in LIHEAP with a report due on December 1, 3
103	103	2023, on the success of the program and any need for increased funds to the governor, and general 4
104	104	assembly. The program would commence on July 1, 2023, and sunset on July 1, 2025. 5
105	105	This act would take effect upon passage. 6
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