PRINTER'S NO. 1602
No. 1297 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY LEACH, COHEN, DENLINGER, DePASQUALE, FABRIZIO,
FREEMAN, GEORGE, GOODMAN, HARKINS, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, JAMES,
JOSEPHS, KULA, LONGIETTI, MUNDY, MURT, MYERS, ROSS, RUBLEY,
SAINATO, SEIP, K. SMITH, STURLA, VITALI, WALKO, WANSACZ,
YOUNGBLOOD AND SWANGER, MAY 18, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MAY 18, 2007
AN ACT
1 Establishing a lending program in Commonwealth libraries for
2 electricity meters; creating a grant; and making an
3 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 Electricity
8 Meter Lending Program Act.
9 Section 2. Purpose.
10 The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
11 (1) There is an increasing need for the deployment of
12 innovative technologies that help Pennsylvania citizens to
13 shift or reduce their power consumption and costs.
14 (2) It is the intent of this act to expand electricity
15 meter use and provide an expense-free and effortless way for
16 residents to discover the amount of electricity used by plug-
17 in appliances throughout the home.
1 (3) It is the intent of this act to encourage consumers
2 to become more informed energy users and make decisions that
3 will reduce energy consumption, as well as encourage citizens
4 to consider newer high-efficiency appliances.
5 Section 3. Definitions.
6 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
7 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
8 context clearly indicates otherwise:
9 "Electricity meter." An electronic device that measures the
10 amount of electrical energy of a household appliance in kilowatt
11 hours.
12 "Grant." A grant issued under the Electricity Meter Lending
13 Program established under this act.
14 "Library." A local public library that receives funding from
15 the Commonwealth.
16 "Office." The Office of Commonwealth Libraries within the
17 Department of Education of the Commonwealth.
18 "Program." The Electricity Meter Lending Program established
19 under this act.
20 Section 4. Electricity Meter Lending Program.
21 (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the
22 Electricity Meter Lending Program within the Office of
23 Commonwealth Libraries. The purpose of the program is to provide
24 grants to libraries to provide electricity meters to lend to the
25 public.
26 (b) Eligibility.--A library that receives funding from the
27 Commonwealth is eligible to apply for a grant for funds to
28 purchase electricity meters and lend the electricity meters to
29 the public. A municipality in which a library is located may
30 also apply for a grant for the library. The office, in its
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1 discretion, shall determine the amount of a grant award to a
2 library. The office shall consider the population of the
3 library's service area and may establish additional criteria for
4 awarding the grants.
5 (c) Requirements.--A library receiving a grant shall use the
6 funds to purchase electricity meters and comply with the
7 provisions of section 5. The office shall monitor and verify
8 fulfillment of all of the requirements under this act.
9 Section 5. Electricity meter lending.
10 (a) Electricity meter lending.--A library receiving a grant
11 shall offer electricity meters for loan to the public.
12 (b) Program materials.--The office shall provide and a
13 library receiving a grant shall make available to the public all
14 of the following materials:
15 (1) Simple operating instructions for electricity
16 meters.
17 (2) Information on how to calculate the cost of using
18 any appliance based on the reading on the device.
19 (3) Energy conservation information.
20 (c) Training.--At least one employee of a library receiving
21 a grant shall be knowledgeable about the electricity meter.
22 (d) Procedures.--A library shall establish procedures for
23 the lending of electricity meters to the public.
24 Section 6. Administration.
25 (a) Enforcement.--The office shall enforce repayment of a
26 grant for a library that does not comply with the provisions of
27 this act, to include use of all lawful collection procedures and
28 the use of private collection agencies.
29 (b) Appeals.--The provisions of this act shall be subject to
30 2 Pa.C.S. Ch. 5 Subch. A (relating to practice and procedure of
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1 Commonwealth agencies).
2 Section 7. Rules and regulations.
3 The office may promulgate rules and regulations to administer
4 and enforce this act.
5 Section 8. Appropriation.
6 The sum of $40,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary,
7 is hereby appropriated to the Office of Commonwealth Libraries
8 within the Department of Education for the fiscal year July 1,
9 2007, to June 30, 2008, to carry out the provisions of this act.
10 Section 9. Effective date.
11 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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