PRINTER'S NO. 586
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
200
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY VITALI, FRANKEL, BRIGGS, BROWNLEE, CALTAGIRONE,
COHEN, CONKLIN, M. DALEY, DAVIS, KINSEY, MAHONEY, McCARTER,
O'BRIEN, PASHINSKI, READSHAW, SCHREIBER AND THOMAS,
FEBRUARY 23, 2015
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FEBRUARY 23, 2015
AN ACT
Providing for PA Sunshine Solar Program; imposing a gross
receipts tax increase; and repealing a provision of the act
of July 9, 2008 (1st Sp.Sess., P.L.1873, No.1), known as the
Alternative Energy Investment Act.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the PA Sunshine
Solar Program Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Approved commercial entity." A corporation, partnership,
sole proprietorship, limited liability company, business trust
or other commercial entity approved by the Department of
Environmental Protection.
"Department." The Department of Environmental Protection of
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the Commonwealth.
"Solar energy system." A solar thermal system or solar
photovoltaic system.
Section 3. PA Sunshine Solar Program.
(a) Continuation.--The PA Sunshine Solar Program authorized
under section 306 of the act of July 9, 2008 (1st Sp.Sess.,
P.L.1873, No.1), known as the Alternative Energy Investment Act,
is continued under this act. Any funds transferred by the
Commonwealth Financing Authority to the department under section
306(a) of the Alternative Energy Investment Act shall be
utilized to provide rebates for the cost of installing solar
energy systems as provided under this act.
(b) Amounts.--An entity that installs a solar energy system
shall be entitled to a rebate as follows:
(1) A solar energy system installed to generate energy
for a residential home shall qualify for a rebate of 10% of
the cost of the first 10 kilowatts of installed capacity.
(2) A solar energy system installed to generate energy
for property owned and used as an approved commercial entity
or as a not-for-profit entity shall qualify for a rebate of
10% of the first 100 kilowatts of installed capacity.
(c) Guidelines.--Funds under this section shall be used in
accordance with guidelines adopted by the department. The
guidelines shall establish an application procedure.
(d) Administrative costs.--No more than 2% of the funds
appropriated to the department may be used for administrative
costs.
Section 4. Gross receipts tax increase.
(a) Increase.--The tax imposed under Article XI of the act
of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of
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1971, shall be increased by 1.25 mills.
(b) Applicability.--The provisions of Article XI of the Tax
Reform Code of 1971 shall apply to the tax increase imposed
under subsection (a).
(c) Requirement.--The revenue collected by the tax increase
imposed under subsection (a) shall be used to fund the program
continued under section 3.
Section 5. Repeals.
Repeals are as follows:
(1) The General Assembly declares that the repeal under
paragraph (2) is necessary to effectuate this act.
(2) Section 306 of the act of July 9, 2008 (1st
Sp.Sess., P.L.1873, No.1), known as the Alternative Energy
Investment Act, is repealed.
Section 6. Continuation.
This act is a continuation of section 306 of the act of July
9, 2008 (1st Sp.Sess., P.L.1873, No.1), known as the Alternative
Energy Investment Act. Except as otherwise provided in this act,
all activities initiated under section 306 of the Alternative
Energy Investment Act shall continue and remain in full force
and effect and may be completed under this act. Orders,
regulations, rules and decisions which were made under section
306 of the Alternative Energy Investment Act and which are in
effect on the effective date of section 5(2) shall remain in
full force and effect until revoked, vacated or modified under
this act. Contracts, obligations and collective bargaining
agreements entered into under section 306 of the Alternative
Energy Investment Act are not affected nor impaired by the
repeal of section 306 of the Alternative Energy Investment Act.
Section 7. Effective date.
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This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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