This bill establishes an advisory council for the electric assistance program, which will be chaired by the commissioner of the department or their designee. The council will include representatives from various stakeholders, including electric utilities, the office of the consumer advocate, New Hampshire Legal Assistance, community action agencies, and the Local Welfare Administrator’s Association. Additionally, the bill caps the system benefits charge for the electric assistance program at 2 mills (0.2 cents) per kilowatt-hour, with future adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index. The program year will begin annually on November 1, and the advisory council is tasked with recommending a budget and program design to the commissioner.

The bill repeals and reenacts RSA 374-F:4, VIII(c), which previously allowed the Public Utilities Commission to oversee the electric assistance program, transferring this responsibility to the Department of Energy. The new legal language includes the establishment of the advisory council and the new cap on the system benefits charge, while deleting the previous provisions that governed the program's administration. The fiscal impact of the bill is projected to increase funding for the electric assistance program by approximately $5,326,979, with no additional staff required for its administration. The bill is expected to have no impact on county or local revenue, and the Department of Energy anticipates that the increased funding will lead to higher discounts for low-income utility customers.