Bill > SB236

This bill transfers control of the Electric Assistance Program from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to the Department of Energy (DOE), effective 60 days after passage. The legislation modifies existing law to give the DOE authority over low-income electricity assistance programs, which are funded through a 1.5 mills per kilowatt-hour system benefits charge. The bill allows the DOE to use a non-adjudicative hearing process to manage the program, including setting eligibility tiers, benefit levels, administrative budgets, and making program modifications. The DOE can also suspend collection of the system benefits charge if the program fund accumulates over $1 million and is not likely to decrease in the next 12 months. The bill updates statutory language to reflect the transfer of program oversight, changing references from "commission" to "department" and adding a definition of "department" as the Department of Energy. Notably, the legislation ensures that existing PUC orders and implementation of the low-income assistance program will be transferred to the DOE by July 1, 2025, with the expectation that the program will continue to be administered in a manner that maximizes benefits for low-income customers.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Business and Industry

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_status.aspx?lsr=444&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=SB236