This bill proposes the transfer of the Electric Assistance Program from the Public Utilities Commission to the Department of Energy. It amends existing laws to reflect this change, specifically modifying RSA 369-B:1, XIII to replace the term "commission should" with "department shall," ensuring that the Department of Energy is responsible for designing low-income programs that effectively target assistance. Additionally, a new definition for "Department" is added to RSA 369-B:2, clarifying that it refers to the Department of Energy.

Further amendments include changes to RSA 374-F:4, VIII(c), which establishes that the system benefits charge will include 1.5 mills per kilowatt-hour to fund the electricity assistance program for low-income customers, with the Department of Energy having the authority to manage this program. The bill also allows the Department to use a non-adjudicative hearing process to determine eligibility tiers, benefit levels, and other administrative aspects of the program. If the low-income program fund exceeds $1,000,000, the Department may suspend the collection of the system benefits charge to maintain the fund at a necessary level. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 369-B:1, 369-B:2, 374-F:4