Sponsored by:
Senator BRITNEE N. TIMBERLAKE
District 34 (Essex)
Senator BRIAN P. STACK
District 33 (Hudson)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Burgess and Cryan
SYNOPSIS
Requires State agencies that administer utility bill payment assistance or energy efficiency programs to review, and potentially increase, income thresholds for residential customers to participate in programs.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act requiring reviews of, and authorizing potential increases to, income thresholds for certain utility bill payment assistance and energy efficiency programs.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Within one year of the date the Board of Public Utilities issues a final order in the proceeding entitled “In the Matter of Addressing New Jersey Energy Affordability for Low- and Moderate-Income Households” Docket No. QO241108531, the Department of Community Affairs, Department of Human Services, Board of Public Utilities, and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program active upon the effective date of P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill) shall review the income threshold for residential customers to participate in those programs, and increase the income threshold if the department, board, or agency determines an increase to be appropriate. A review completed pursuant to this section shall consider factors such as the alignment of separate low-income and moderate-income income thresholds used across programs and agencies, the use of alternate income thresholds, including State median income, and the aggregate cost and impacts of the increased income thresholds. A State agency shall request public comment, in a form and manner determined by that State agency, or seek assistance from other State agencies, to determine an appropriate increase to the program’s income threshold. If an increase in income thresholds for the State’s low-income energy efficiency programs is ordered, the Board of Public Utilities shall assess if further guidance is necessary to change income thresholds in the utilities’ triennium energy efficiency and peak demand reduction programs for moderate-income energy efficiency programs to ensure that low- and moderate-income customers are eligible for only one energy efficiency assistance program and to expand access to moderate-income programs, if appropriate.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the date of the final income threshold increase required of a State agency.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Department of Community Affairs, Department of Human Services, Board of Public Utilities (BPU), and any other State agency that administers a utility bill payment assistance program or energy efficiency program to, within one year of when the BPU issues a final order in the proceeding entitled “In the Matter of Addressing New Jersey Energy Affordability for Low- and Moderate-Income Households” (Docket No. QO24110853), complete a review of the program, as provided for in the bill, and increase the income threshold if the department, board, or agency determines an increase to be appropriate.
The bill requires that a State agency request public comment, in a form and manner determined by that State agency, or seek assistance from other State agencies, to determine an appropriate increase to the program’s income threshold.
The bill further specifies that if an increase in income thresholds for the State’s low-income energy efficiency programs is ordered, the BPU is required to assess if further guidance is necessary to change income thresholds in the utilities’ triennium energy efficiency and peak demand reduction programs for moderate-income energy efficiency programs to ensure that low- and moderate-income customers are eligible for only one energy efficiency assistance program and to expand access to moderate-income programs, if appropriate.