PRINTER'S NO. 625
No. 568 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY PIPPY, BOYES, ADOLPH, ALLEN, ARMSTRONG, BARRAR, BASTIAN, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BELFANTI, BUNT, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CAPPABIANCA, CAWLEY, CLARK, CLYMER, L. I. COHEN, COLAFELLA, COLEMAN, CORRIGAN, COSTA, COY, CRUZ, CURRY, DAILEY, DALLY, DeLUCA, DERMODY, DeWEESE, DiGIROLAMO, EACHUS, FAIRCHILD, FICHTER, FORCIER, FREEMAN, GEIST, GEORGE, GORDNER, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARPER, HENNESSEY, HERMAN, HESS, HUTCHINSON, JADLOWIEC, LAUGHLIN, LEDERER, LEH, LESCOVITZ, LEVDANSKY, MACKERETH, MAHER, MAJOR, MANDERINO, MANN, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, McCALL, McILHATTAN, McNAUGHTON, MELIO, MICHLOVIC, MICOZZIE, MUNDY, NAILOR, ORIE, PETRARCA, PHILLIPS, PISTELLA, RAYMOND, READSHAW, ROBERTS, ROONEY, ROSS, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SAMUELSON, SANTONI, SATHER, SAYLOR, SCHULER, SCRIMENTI, SHANER, B. SMITH, STABACK, STAIRS, T. STEVENSON, STRITTMATTER, STURLA, SURRA, THOMAS, TIGUE, TRELLO, WALKO, WANSACZ, WATERS, WATSON, J. WILLIAMS, WILT, WOGAN, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD, YUDICHAK, ZUG, STEELMAN, R. MILLER AND HORSEY, FEBRUARY 8, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, FEBRUARY 8, 2001
AN ACT 1 Providing for a home energy assistance grant program; imposing 2 powers and duties on the Department of Public Welfare; 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 Seniors Home Energy Assistance Act. 9 Section 2. Definitions. 10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
1 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 2 context clearly indicates otherwise: 3 "Department." The Department of Public Welfare of the 4 Commonwealth. 5 "Eligible person." A person who is: 6 (1) 65 years of age or older, or whose spouse, if a 7 member of the household, is 65 years of age or older; 8 (2) 50 years of age or older and who is a widow or 9 widower who has not remarried; or 10 (3) 18 years of age or older and who is unable to engage 11 in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any 12 medically determinable physical or mental impairment which 13 can be expected to continue indefinitely. 14 "Income." The types of income used in determining 15 eligibility for LIHEAP as provided in the State plan for the 16 applicable fiscal year. 17 "LIHEAP." The program providing low-income home energy 18 grants authorized under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance 19 Act of 1981 (Public Law 97-35, 42 U.S.C. § 8621 et seq.) and 20 administered by the Department of Public Welfare. 21 "Poverty level." The poverty level published by the United 22 States Department of Health and Human Services and used by the 23 Department of Public Welfare in determining eligibility for 24 LIHEAP. 25 "State plan." The State plan for LIHEAP prepared by the 26 Department of Public Welfare as required by section 2605(c) of 27 the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (Public Law 28 97-35, 42 U.S.C. § 8624(c)). 29 Section 3. Heating assistance grants authorized. 30 (a) Income eligibility.--The department shall make annual 20010H0568B0625 - 2 -
1 heating assistance cash grants to eligible persons who have a 2 household income exceeding the limits for LIHEAP grants 3 established by the department under the State plan for the 4 applicable fiscal year, but whose income does not exceed 150% of 5 the poverty level. 6 (b) Limits.--The grants authorized under subsection (a) 7 shall not be less than $50 per household per year, nor shall the 8 grants exceed $200 per household per year. Grants shall be 9 limited to one for each household. 10 Section 4. Administration. 11 The department shall administer the grant program under this 12 act in a manner consistent with the administration of grants 13 under LIHEAP as provided in the State plan for the applicable 14 fiscal year. 15 Section 5. Appropriation. 16 The sum of $11,000,000, or as much thereof as may be 17 necessary, is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the 18 Department of Public Welfare for the fiscal year July 1, 2001, 19 to June 30, 2002, for the purpose of making the heating 20 assistance grants as authorized by this act. 21 Section 6. Effective date. 22 This act shall take effect immediately. A5L72JLW/20010H0568B0625 - 3 -