SB 363 — 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.    313

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 363
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY BOSCOLA, FARRY, BARTOLOTTA, FONTANA, PENNYCUICK,
        COMITTA, KEARNEY, SCHWANK, TARTAGLIONE, HAYWOOD AND KANE,
        MARCH 3, 2025

     REFERRED TO CONSUMER PROTECTION AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE,
        MARCH 3, 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,
19   shall establish the Low-Income Household Water Assistance
 1   Program, to be administered by the department.
 2      (b)     The purpose of the program is to provide assistance for
 3   individuals who are eligible for assistance in accordance with
 4   subsection (c), for any of the purposes specified under
 5   subsection (f) upon the termination of the temporary Federal
 6   Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program.
 7      (c)     (1)   The department shall develop eligibility
 8   requirements under the program in accordance with this
 9   subsection, without limitation.
10      (2)     An individual is eligible for assistance under the
11   program if the individual:
12      (i)     Owns or rents a home in this Commonwealth.
13      (ii)     Is a water system customer or wastewater system
14   customer, or both, and is financially responsible for paying the
15   water system bills or wastewater system bills, or both.
16      (iii)     Has an overdue water system bill or wastewater system
17   bill, which has resulted in arrearages, a termination notice or
18   the termination of water system services or wastewater system
19   services, or both.
20      (iv)     Meets certain income guidelines as determined by the
21   department.
22      (d)     (1)   A water system entity or wastewater system entity
23   may apply for a grant under the program on behalf of individuals
24   who are eligible for assistance under subsection (c) and who are
25   customers of the entity.
26      (2)     The application under this subsection must be on a form
27   and in a manner determined by the department.
28      (3)     A completed application under this subsection must
29   contain:
30      (i)     The name and contact information of the water system

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 1   entity or wastewater system entity.
 2      (ii)     The following information regarding the customers in
 3   need of assistance under the program:
 4      (A)    The names and addresses of the customers.
 5      (B)    Proof that the customers are individuals who are
 6   eligible for assistance in accordance with subsection (c).
 7      (C)    The amount of the overdue water system bills or
 8   wastewater system bills for the customers, along with the
 9   circumstances that have resulted from the overdue bills,
10   including arrearages, termination notices or termination of
11   services.
12      (e)    The department shall review each application under
13   subsection (d) and determine the total amount of the grant to be
14   awarded. The award must include the names of the customers
15   designated to receive grant money, the amount of grant money
16   that each designated customer shall receive and any conditions
17   regarding the grant or grant money.
18      (f)    A grant under the program may only be used to:
19      (1)    Prevent the termination of water system services or
20   wastewater system services, or both.
21      (2)    Pay overdue water system bills or wastewater system
22   bills, or both.
23      (3)    Restore terminated water system services or wastewater
24   system services, or both.
25      (g)    The following apply to reports:
26      (1)    Each July 1 following the effective date of this
27   subsection, the department shall issue a report on the following
28   information for the previous fiscal year:
29      (i)    The water system entities and wastewater system entities
30   that applied for a grant under the program.

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

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1      "Wastewater system" means as the term "sewer system" is
2   defined under 25 Pa. Code § 94.1 (relating to definitions).
3      "Water system" means a public water system that serves at
4   least fifteen service connections used by year-round residents
5   or regularly serves at least twenty-five year-round residents.
6      Section 3.   This act shall take effect immediately.




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