HB 921 — An Act amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, in general powers and duties of the Department of Public Welfare, providing for Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program; and making an editorial change.

PRINTER'S NO.    970

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 921
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY DAVIDSON, HILL-EVANS, WAXMAN, McNEILL, GIRAL,
        MADSEN, PIELLI, POWELL, BOYD, KENYATTA, SANCHEZ, BURGOS,
        KAZEEM, MADDEN, MALAGARI, RIVERA, DONAHUE, KINKEAD, CIRESI,
        DEASY, CERRATO, FLEMING, GUZMAN AND O'MARA, MARCH 17, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER PROTECTION, TECHNOLOGY AND
        UTILITIES, MARCH 17, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
 2      act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
 3      welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in general powers and
 4      duties of the Department of Public Welfare, providing for
 5      Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program; and making an
 6      editorial change.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.     Article II heading of the act of June 13, 1967
10   (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Human Services Code, is amended to
11   read:
12                                 ARTICLE II
13                         GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES
14           OF THE DEPARTMENT OF [PUBLIC WELFARE] HUMAN SERVICES
15      Section 2.     The act is amended by adding a section to read:
16      Section 217.    Low-Income Household Water Assistance
17   Program.--(a)    No later than July 1, 2026, the department, in
18   consultation with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission,
 1   shall establish the Low-Income Household Water Assistance
 2   Program, to be administered by the department.
 3      (b)   The purpose of the program is to provide assistance for
 4   eligible individuals who are water system customers or
 5   wastewater system customers in this Commonwealth for overdue
 6   water system bills or wastewater system bills upon the
 7   termination of the temporary Federal Low-Income Household Water
 8   Assistance Program.
 9      (c)   The department shall develop eligibility requirements
10   under the program in accordance with this subsection, without
11   limitation. An individual eligible for assistance under the
12   program must meet all of the following requirements:
13      (1)   Own or rent a home in this Commonwealth.
14      (2)   Be a water system customer or wastewater system customer
15   and be financially responsible for paying the water system bills
16   or wastewater system bills.
17      (3)   Have an overdue water system bill or wastewater system
18   bill, which has resulted in arrearages, a termination notice or
19   the termination of water system services or wastewater system
20   services.
21      (4)   Comply with certain income guidelines as determined by
22   the department.
23      (d)   A water system entity or wastewater system entity may
24   apply for a grant under the program on behalf of eligible
25   individuals described under subsection (c) on a form and in a
26   manner determined by the department. A completed application
27   must contain all of the following:
28      (1)   The name and contact information of the water system
29   entity or wastewater system entity seeking the grant.
30      (2)   The names and addresses of the water system customers or

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 1   wastewater system customers seeking assistance under the program
 2   along with verification of their eligibility to receive services
 3   under the program.
 4      (3)    The amount of the overdue water system bills or
 5   wastewater system bills for the customers seeking assistance
 6   under the program, along with the circumstances that have
 7   resulted from the overdue bills, including arrearages,
 8   termination notices or termination of services.
 9      (e)    The department shall review each application under
10   subsection (d) and determine the amount of the grant to be
11   awarded, including the designated individuals eligible to
12   receive assistance under the program and any conditions
13   regarding the award of the grant.
14      (f)    A grant under the program may only be used for the
15   following purposes:
16      (1)    Preventing the termination of water system services or
17   wastewater system services.
18      (2)    Paying past-due water system bills or wastewater system
19   bills.
20      (3)    Restoring terminated water system services or wastewater
21   system services.
22      (g)    The following shall apply to reports:
23      (1)    Each July 1 following the effective date of this
24   subsection, the department shall issue a report on all of the
25   following:
26      (i)    The water system entities and wastewater system entities
27   that have sought a grant under the program.
28      (ii)    The water system entities and wastewater system
29   entities that have received a grant under the program.
30      (iii)     The number of customers who received assistance under

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 1   the program, along with the amount and purpose of the grant
 2   received by each customer.
 3      (iv)     The total amount of money expended under the program.
 4      (2)     The department shall submit each report under this
 5   subsection to all of the following:
 6      (i)     The Governor.
 7      (ii)     The President pro tempore of the Senate.
 8      (iii)     The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
 9      (iv)     The Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the Senate.
10      (v)     The Majority Leader and Minority Leader of the House of
11   Representatives.
12      (vi)     The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
13   Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee of the
14   Senate.
15      (vii)     The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
16   Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee of the
17   House of Representatives.
18      (3)     Each report under this subsection shall be posted on the
19   publicly accessible Internet website of the department.
20      (h)     Rulemaking authority.--The department shall promulgate
21   any rules, regulations or guidelines necessary to implement this
22   section.
23      (i)     As used in this section, the following words and phrases
24   shall have the following meanings:
25      "Program" means the Low-Income Household Water Assistance
26   Program established under subsection (a).
27      "Wastewater system" means as the term "sewer system" is
28   defined under 25 Pa. Code § 94.1 (relating to definitions).
29      "Water system" means a public water system that serves at
30   least fifteen service connections used by year-round residents

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1   or regularly serves at least twenty-five year-round residents.
2      Section 3.   This act shall take effect immediately.




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