1Establishing a lending program in Commonwealth libraries for
2electricity meters; creating a grant; and making an
3appropriation.

4The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5hereby enacts as follows:

6Section 1. Short title.

7This act shall be known and may be cited as the Electricity
8Meter Lending Program Act.

9Section 2. Purpose.

10The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:

11(1) There is an increasing need for the deployment of
12innovative technologies that help Pennsylvania citizens to
13shift or reduce their power consumption and costs.

14(2) It is the intent of this act to expand electricity
15meter use and provide an expense-free and effortless way for
16residents to discover the amount of electricity used by plug-
17in appliances throughout the home.

18(3) It is the intent of this act to encourage consumers

1to become more informed energy users and make decisions that
2will reduce energy consumption, as well as encourage citizens
3to consider newer high-efficiency appliances.

4Section 3. Definitions.

5The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
6have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
7context clearly indicates otherwise:

8"Electricity meter." An electronic device that measures the 
9amount of electrical energy of a household appliance in kilowatt 
10hours.

11"Grant." A grant issued under the Electricity Meter Lending 
12Program established under this act.

13"Library." A local public library that receives funding from 
14the Commonwealth.

15"Office." The Office of Commonwealth Libraries within the 
16Department of Education of the Commonwealth.

17"Program." The Electricity Meter Lending Program established 
18under this act.

19Section 4. Electricity Meter Lending Program.

20(a) Establishment.--There is established the Electricity
21Meter Lending Program within the Office of Commonwealth
22Libraries. The purpose of the program is to provide grants to
23libraries to provide electricity meters to lend to the public.

24(b) Eligibility.--A library that receives funding from the
25Commonwealth is eligible to apply for a grant for funds to
26purchase electricity meters and lend the electricity meters to
27the public. A municipality in which a library is located may
28also apply for a grant for the library. The office, in its
29discretion, shall determine the amount of a grant award to a
30library. The office shall consider the population of the

1library's service area and may establish additional criteria for
2awarding the grants.

3(c) Requirements.--A library receiving a grant must use the
4funds to purchase electricity meters and comply with the
5provisions of section 5. The office shall monitor and verify
6fulfillment of all of the requirements under this act.

7Section 5. Electricity meter lending.

8(a) Electricity meter lending.--A library receiving a grant
9shall offer electricity meters for loan to the public.

10(b) Program materials.--The office shall provide and a
11library receiving a grant shall make available to the public all
12of the following materials:

13(1) Simple operating instructions for electricity
14meters.

15(2) Information on how to calculate the cost of using
16any appliance based on the reading on the device.

17(3) Energy conservation information.

18(c) Training.--At least one employee of a library receiving
19a grant shall be knowledgeable about the electricity meter.

20(d) Procedures.--A library shall establish procedures for
21the lending of electricity meters to the public.

22Section 6. Administration.

23(a) Enforcement.--The office shall enforce repayment of a
24grant for a library that does not comply with the provisions of
25this act, to include use of all lawful collection procedures and
26the use of private collection agencies.

27(b) Appeals.--The provisions of this act shall be subject to 
282 Pa.C.S. Ch. 5 Subch. A (relating to practice and procedure of 
29Commonwealth agencies).

30Section 7. Rules and regulations.

1The office may promulgate rules and regulations to administer
2and enforce this act.

3Section 8. Appropriation.

4The sum of $40,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary,
5is hereby appropriated to the Office of Commonwealth Libraries
6within the Department of Education for the fiscal year July 1,
72012, to June 30, 2013, to carry out the provisions of this act.

8Section 9. Effective date.

9This act shall take effect in 60 days.