PRINTER'S NO. 34
No. 30 Session of 1985
INTRODUCED BY IRVIS, RICHARDSON, MANDERINO, TRELLO, STEWART,
CIVERA, LINTON, KUKOVICH, FREEMAN, PRESTON, FATTAH, CARN,
HARPER, JOSEPHS, CALTAGIRONE, WAMBACH, LASHINGER, MILLER,
DAWIDA, SEVENTY, COWELL, VAN HORNE, PRESSMANN, McHALE,
BORTNER, R. C. WRIGHT AND LAUGHLIN, JANUARY 23, 1985
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS, JANUARY 23, 1985
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
2 act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
3 welfare laws of the Commonwealth," establishing an energy
4 assistance program; and making an appropriation.
5 The General Assembly finds and declares that:
6 (1) Rising home energy costs have significantly reduced the
7 real purchasing power of low-income individuals and families in
8 Pennsylvania, particularly elderly and severely handicapped
9 persons to levels where they are unable to acquire and maintain
10 the necessities of life.
11 (2) The housing occupied by low-income individuals and
12 families is generally not energy efficient, is usually older and
13 frequently in need of home repair.
14 (3) High energy costs contribute to landlord abandonment and
15 deterioration of housing in low-income neighborhoods.
16 (4) Heat and utility service are necessities of life,
17 particularly in the winter, and low-income individuals and
1 families need assistance to meet rising utility and heating
2 costs.
3 It is, therefore, the policy of the Commonwealth that energy
4 assistance shall be made available to low-income individuals and
5 families as set forth herein.
6 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
7 hereby enacts as follows:
8 Section 1. The act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known
9 as the Public Welfare Code, is amended by adding a section to
10 read:
11 Section 408.2. Establishment of the Pennsylvania Energy
12 Assistance Program.--(a) The Pennsylvania Energy Assistance
13 Program is established and shall be administered by the
14 department.
15 (b) The Pennsylvania Energy Assistance Program shall be
16 administred and all funds disbursed in the same manner as the
17 funds in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program in
18 accordance with sections 2601-2610 of the Omnibus Budget
19 Reconciliation Act of 1981 (Public Law 97-35, 42 U.S.C. §§ 8621-
20 8629), as amended.
21 (c) The Secretary of Welfare is directed to administer the
22 Pennsylvania Energy Assistance Program in all respects pursuant
23 to regulations issued for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance
24 Program.
25 Section 2. (a) The sum of $25,000,000 is hereby
26 appropriated to the Department of Public Welfare, for the fiscal
27 year July 1, 1984, to June 30, 1985, to carry out the provisions
28 of this act and such sums thereafter as the General Assembly
29 shall deem appropriate in subsequent fiscal years.
30 (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this act, no
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1 funds appropriated under this section shall be encumbered or
2 expended unless and until all Federal funds received by the
3 Commonwealth and allocated for low-income home energy assistance
4 payments are encumbered or expended. Under no circumstance shall
5 the transition from Federal to State funding result in a program
6 shutdown or delay in payments.
7 Section 3. The provisions of this act are severable. If any
8 provision of this act or its application to any person or
9 circumstance is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect
10 other provisions or applications of this act which can be given
11 effect without the invalid provision or application.
12 Section 4. This act expires December 31, 1991, unless
13 extended by statute.
14 Section 5. This act shall take effect immediately.
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