PRINTER'S NO. 118
No. 110 Session of 1985
INTRODUCED BY LAUGHLIN, IRVIS, MANDERINO, PIEVSKY, DOMBROWSKI,
KUKOVICH, SWEET, PISTELLA, JAROLIN, FATTAH, DEAL, RICHARDSON,
BURNS, LESCOVITZ, VEON, STEIGHNER, O'DONNELL AND GRUITZA,
JANUARY 28, 1985
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, JANUARY 28, 1985
AN ACT
1 Providing for the establishment, operation and administration of
2 a supplemental low-income home energy assistance program; and
3 making an appropriation.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania
8 Supplemental Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
9 Section 2. Legislative findings and declaration of policy.
10 The General Assembly finds and declares that:
11 (1) Heat is a necessity of life, particularly in the
12 winter.
13 (2) Rising home energy costs have significantly reduced
14 the real purchasing power of low-income individuals and
15 families in Pennsylvania.
16 (3) Low-income individuals and families need assistance
17 to meet rising heating costs.
1 It is, therefore, the policy of the Commonwealth that energy
2 assistance shall be made available to low-income individuals and
3 families as set forth herein.
4 Section 3. Definitions.
5 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
6 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
7 context clearly indicates otherwise:
8 "Commitment." The obligation of moneys from an anticipated
9 appropriation to be made by the General Assembly. The commitment
10 is contingent upon the eventual passage of an appropriation and
11 no money shall be paid out until such an appropriation is
12 enacted.
13 "Department." The Department of Public Welfare of the
14 Commonwealth.
15 "Encumbrance." That portion of an appropriation which
16 represents a future expenditure pursuant to a contract, purchase
17 order or a known demonstrable bill, where an actual payment of
18 cash has not been made.
19 "Expenditure." That portion of an appropriation that
20 represents a payment of cash.
21 "Program." The Pennsylvania Supplemental Low-Income Home
22 Energy Assistance Program established in section 4.
23 Section 4. Pennsylvania Supplemental Low-Income Home Energy
24 Assistance Program.
25 (a) Creation.--There is hereby created the Pennsylvania
26 Supplemental Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to be
27 administered by the department.
28 (b) Operation.--The program shall be administered and all
29 funds disbursed in the same manner as the funds in the Federal
30 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance program administered by the
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1 department in accordance with Title XXVI of the Omnibus Budget
2 Reconciliation Act of 1981 (Public Law 97-35, 95 Stat. 357), as
3 amended, as it relates to the provision of:
4 (1) Cash benefit payments to eligible low-income
5 individuals and families to meet the cost of home energy.
6 (2) Energy crisis services to eligible low-income
7 individuals and families.
8 (3) Administrative costs associated with the provision
9 of cash benefit payments and energy crisis services to
10 eligible low-income individuals and families.
11 (c) Eligibility.--Eligibility criteria, benefits and benefit
12 levels utilized for the program shall be consistent with the
13 eligibility criteria, benefits and benefit levels utilized by
14 the department for the Federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
15 program for the State fiscal year in which the funds are
16 appropriated.
17 Section 5. Funding of the program.
18 (a) Use.--General funds appropriated through this act shall
19 be used solely to provide:
20 (1) Cash benefit payments to eligible low-income
21 individuals and families to meet the cost of home energy.
22 (2) Energy crisis services to eligible low-income
23 individuals and families.
24 (3) To cover the administrative costs related to the
25 provision of cash benefit payments and energy crisis services
26 to eligible low-income individuals and families.
27 (b) Intent.--It is the intent of the General Assembly that
28 general funds annually appropriated for the program be held in
29 reserve and utilized only after the total amount of Federal
30 funds available for the Federal Low-Income Home Energy
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1 Assistance program in that same State fiscal year have been
2 expended, encumbered or committed as certified by the Secretary
3 of the Budget of the Commonwealth. Such certification shall be
4 made so as to ensure that transition from the Federal Low-Income
5 Home Energy Assistance program to the Pennsylvania program does
6 not result in the interruption of eligibility determination or
7 the delay of benefit payments.
8 (c) Specific appropriation.--The sum of $25,000,000, or as
9 much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated from
10 the General Fund for the fiscal year July 1, 1984, to June 30,
11 1985, to carry out the provisions of this act.
12 (d) Future appropriations.--Any general funds provided for
13 the program in subsequent fiscal years shall be appropriated in
14 the General Appropriation Acts for those fiscal years in an
15 amount deemed appropriate by the General Assembly.
16 Section 6. Effective date.
17 This act shall take effect immediately.
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