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2021 SPECIAL SESSION I

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HB 2330 Percentage of Income Payment Program and Fund; DHCD & DSS to adopt rules, etc., for adoption.

Introduced by: Kaye Kory | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Electric utilities; Percentage of Income Payment Program. Requires the Department of Social Services (the Department), in consultation with, as it deems necessary, the Department of Housing and Community Development, to adopt rules or establish guidelines for the adoption, implementation, and general administration of the Percentage of Income Payment Program (PIPP) and the Percentage of Income Payment Fund (Fund). The bill requires the PIPP to commence no later than one year after the Department publishes such rules or guidelines. The bill establishes the Fund for the purposes of implementing and administering the PIPP. The State Corporation Commission is required to promulgate any rules necessary to ensure that funds collected from the universal service fee of both American Electric Power and Dominion Energy Virginia are directed to the Fund. The bill limits the total annual cost of the energy reduction programs to $25 million for American Electric Power and $100 million for Dominion Energy Virginia. The bill requires the Commission to initiate proceedings to provide for an annual true-up of the universal service fee within 60 days of the commencement of the PIPP and on an annual or semiannual basis thereafter. The bill provides that the PIPP-eligible customers may utilize existing energy efficiency or related programs approved by the Commission and that the Department may review the needs of PIPP-eligible customers and whether gaps remain in serving such customers that are not already served by existing and available federal, state, local, or nonprofit programs to meet the required energy reduction obligations. The bill requires the Department to report the results of such analysis and review to the Chairs of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor no later than November 1, 2022. The bill requires the Commission to issue an order providing for the non-bypassable universal service fee as soon as practicable following the bill's effective date and requires the Department and Dominion Energy Virginia, in the event the PIPP commences prior to July 1, 2023, to enter into a memorandum of understanding regarding payments rendered on behalf of PIPP-eligible customers.

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

Electric utilities; Percentage of Income Payment Program. Requires the Department of Social Services (the Department), in consultation with, as it deems necessary, the Department of Housing and Community Development, to adopt rules or establish guidelines for the adoption, implementation, and general administration of the Percentage of Income Payment Program (PIPP) and the Percentage of Income Payment Fund (Fund). The bill requires the PIPP to commence no later than March 1, 2022.The bill establishes the Fund for the purposes of implementing and administering the PIPP and related programs. The bill requires Dominion Energy Virginia and American Electric Power to cooperate with the requests of the Department and the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) in the implementation and administration of the PIPP. The Commission is required to promulgate any rules necessary to ensure that funds collected from each utility's universal service fee are directed to the Fund. The bill requires the Commission to initiate proceedings to provide for an annual true-up of the universal service fee within 60 days of the commencement of the PIPP and on an annual or semiannual basis thereafter. The bill provides that the PIPP may utilize existing energy efficiency or related programs approved by the Commission. The bill authorizes the Department to determine what deficiencies exist in existing and available federal, state, local, or nonprofit programs to meet energy reduction obligations and to (i) make recommendations to the Commission or the utilities regarding such deficiency analysis and (ii) develop programs to address such deficiencies.

The bill authorizes the Department to develop and implement non-utility energy efficiency programs and other programs for the reduction of energy use for eligible participants in the PIPP, provided that the Department engage in a stakeholder process and undertake a cost-benefit analysis in the development of any such programs. The bill requires that the Commission to make adjustments to the universal service fee as necessary to provide adequate funding for such programs. Additionally, the bill requires the Commission to initiate any proceedings to establish new energy efficiency or low-income programs proposed by a utility as necessary to provide service to PIPP participants over a timeframe to be determined by the Commission. The bill requires the Commission to issue an order providing for the non-bypassable universal service fee as soon as practicable following the bill's effective date.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:


Electric utilities; Percentage of Income Payment Program. Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Department of Social Services (the Departments) to adopt rules or establish guidelines for the adoption, implementation, and general administration of the Percentage of Income Payment Program (PIPP) and the Percentage of Income Payment Fund (the Fund). The bill establishes the Fund for the purposes of implementing and administering the PIPP and related programs. The bill requires the PIPP to commence no later than December 1, 2021. The bill requires Dominion Energy Virginia and American Electric Power to cooperate with the requests of the Departments and the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) in the implementation and administration of the PIPP. The Commission is required to promulgate any rules necessary to ensure that funds collected from each utility's universal service fee are directed to the Fund. The bill requires the Commission to initiate proceedings to provide for an annual true-up of the universal service fee within 60 days of the commencement of the PIPP and on an annual basis thereafter. The bill provides that the PIPP may utilize existing energy efficiency or related programs approved by the Commission. The bill authorizes the Departments to determine what deficiencies exist in existing and available federal, state, local, or nonprofit programs to meet energy reduction obligations and to (i) make recommendations to the Commission or the utilities regarding such deficiency analysis and (ii) develop programs to address such deficiencies.

The bill authorizes the Departments to develop and implement non-utility energy efficiency programs and other programs for the reduction of energy use for eligible participants in the PIPP, provided that the Departments engage in a stakeholder process and undertake a cost-benefit analysis in the development of any such programs. The bill requires that the Commission to make adjustments to the universal service fee as necessary to provide adequate funding for such programs. Additionally, the bill requires the Commission to initiate any proceedings to establish new energy efficiency or low-income programs as necessary to provide service to PIPP participants over a timeframe to be determined by the Commission.