Bill > SB234

This bill establishes a new advisory council for the Electric Assistance Program (EAP) and makes several key changes to how the program is administered. The advisory council will be chaired by the department commissioner and include representatives from electric utilities, the consumer advocate's office, legal assistance, community action agencies, and local welfare administrators. The council will recommend an annual budget and program design by September 1 each year, with the program year beginning on November 1. The bill caps the system benefits charge (SBC) - a fee collected on electric bills - at 2 mills (0.2 cents) per kilowatt-hour for the 2025 program year, with future adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index. This change effectively increases the previous cap of 1.5 mills per kilowatt-hour, potentially generating an additional $5.3 million in funding for the program. The bill transfers program oversight from the Public Utilities Commission to the Department of Energy and is designed to support low-income utility customers by providing bill discounts through the EAP. The legislation will take effect 60 days after its passage and is intended to help maintain and potentially expand assistance for low-income ratepayers.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_status.aspx?lsr=0355&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=SB234