PRINTER'S NO. 3139
No. 2441 Session of 1978
INTRODUCED BY LINCOLN, DiCARLO AND ZWIKL, APRIL 19, 1978
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FINANCE, APRIL 19, 1978
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 11, 1971 (P.L.104, No.3), entitled, as
2 amended, "An act providing property tax or rent rebate to
3 certain senior citizens, widows, widowers and permanently
4 disabled persons with limited incomes; establishing uniform
5 standards and qualifications for eligibility to receive a
6 rebate; and imposing duties upon the Department of Revenue,"
7 providing certain persons with utility expense rebate.
8 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
9 hereby enacts as follows:
10 Section 1. The title and sections 1 and 2, act of March 11,
11 1971 (P.L.104, No.3), known as the "Senior Citizens Property Tax
12 or Rent Rebate Act," reenacted and amended June 16, 1975 (P.L.7,
13 No.4), are amended to read:
14 AN ACT
15 Providing utility expense, property tax or rent rebate to
16 certain senior citizens, widows, widowers and permanently
17 disabled persons with limited incomes; establishing uniform
18 standards and qualifications for eligibility to receive a
19 rebate; and imposing duties upon the Department of Revenue.
20 Section 1. Short Title.--This act shall be known and may be
21 cited as the "Senior Citizens Utility Expense, Property Tax or
1 Rent Rebate Act."
2 Section 2. Declaration of Policy.--In recognition of the
3 severe economic plight of certain senior citizens, widows,
4 widowers and permanently disabled persons who are real property
5 owners or renters with fixed and limited incomes who are faced
6 with rising utility expenses, living costs and constantly
7 increasing tax burdens upon their homesteads, the General
8 Assembly, pursuant to the mandates of the Constitutional
9 Convention of 1968, considers it to be a matter of sound public
10 policy to make special provisions for utility expenses, property
11 tax rebates or rent rebates in lieu of property taxes or utility
12 expense to that class of senior citizens, widows, widowers and
13 permanently disabled persons who are utility consumers real
14 property taxpayers or renters who are without adequate means of
15 support to enable them to remain in peaceable possession of
16 their homes and relieving their economic burden.
17 Section 2. Section 3 of the act is amended by adding a
18 definition to read:
19 Section 3. Definitions.--As used in this act:
20 * * *
21 (8) "Utility expenses" means all base rate, cost adjustment
22 and surcharge amounts stated on a utility bill, but shall not
23 include amounts required to be paid by the applicant for
24 interest, delayed payment charges and equipment purchase or
25 repair charges.
26 Section 3. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
27 Section 3.1. Utility Expenses.--(a) All persons, who
28 qualify as claimants pursuant to section 3, are eligible for
29 utility expense rebates in the same manner as provided for rent
30 and property tax rebates.
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1 (b) The department shall not issue any separate claim form,
2 but shall amend or change the form used for rent and property
3 tax rebate.
4 (c) The department shall promulgate the necessary rules and
5 regulations in order to carry out the provisions of this
6 section.
7 Section 4. It is the intent of the General Assembly to
8 utilize any Federal funds which are currently available or any
9 which may become available to the Commonwealth for the purpose
10 of implementing the provisions relating to utility expense
11 rebate.
12 Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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