PRINTER'S NO. 855
No. 769 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY ORIE, READSHAW, PRESTON, THOMAS, ARMSTRONG,
STABACK, PETRARCA, L. I. COHEN, CAPPABIANCA, CAWLEY, BELARDI,
FAIRCHILD, MELIO, SCRIMENTI, LAUGHLIN, SOLOBAY, SURRA,
YOUNGBLOOD, FREEMAN, TIGUE, C. WILLIAMS, PIPPY, FRANKEL,
ROBERTS, WOJNAROSKI, BROWNE, B. SMITH, DALLY, McCALL, SAYLOR,
BELFANTI, COSTA, GRUCELA, PISTELLA, MANDERINO, SHANER,
SAINATO, HORSEY, GEIST, CIVERA AND JAMES, FEBRUARY 14, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
FEBRUARY 14, 2001
AN ACT
1 Authorizing heating assistance grants to certain eligible
2 persons; providing for powers and duties of the Department of
3 Public Welfare; and 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 Home Energy Assistance Act.
9 Section 2. Definitions.
10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12 context clearly indicates otherwise:
13 "Department." The Department of Public Welfare of the
14 Commonwealth.
15 "Eligible person." A person who is:
1 (1) 65 years of age or over, or whose spouse, if a
2 member of the household, is 65 years of age or older;
3 (2) 50 years of age or older and who is a widow or
4 widower who has not remarried; or
5 (3) 18 years of age or older and who is unable to engage
6 in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any
7 medically determinable physical or mental impairment which
8 can be expected to continue indefinitely.
9 "Income." The types of income used in determining
10 eligibility for LIHEAP as provided in the State Plan for the
11 applicable fiscal year.
12 "LIHEAP." The program providing low-income home energy
13 grants authorized under section 2602 of the Low-Income Home
14 Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (Public Law 97-35, 42 U.S.C § 8621
15 et seq.) and administered by the Department of Public Welfare.
16 "Poverty level." The poverty level published by the United
17 States Department of Health and Human Services and used by the
18 Department of Public Welfare in determining eligibility for
19 LIHEAP.
20 "State Plan." The State Plan for LIHEAP prepared by the
21 Department of Public Welfare as required by section 2605 of the
22 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (Public Law 97-35,
23 42 U.S.C. § 8624(c)).
24 Section 3. Heating assistance grants authorized.
25 (a) Income eligibility.--The department shall make heating
26 assistance cash grants to eligible persons who have a household
27 income exceeding the limits for LIHEAP grants established by the
28 department under the State Plan for the applicable fiscal year
29 but whose household income does not exceed 150% of the poverty
30 level.
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1 (b) Limits.--The grants authorized under subsection (a)
2 shall not be less than $50 per household per year nor shall the
3 grants exceed $200 per household per year. Grants shall be
4 limited to one for each household per year.
5 Section 4. Administration.
6 The department shall administer the grants required under
7 this act in a manner consistent with the administration of
8 grants under LIHEAP as provided in the State Plan for the
9 applicable fiscal year.
10 Section 5. Appropriation.
11 The sum of $11,000,000, or as much thereof as may be
12 necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Department of Public
13 Welfare for the fiscal year July 1, 2001, to June 30, 2002, for
14 the purpose of making heating assistance grants authorized by
15 this act.
16 Section 6. Effective date.
17 This act shall take effect immediately.
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