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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE BILL |
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| INTRODUCED BY LEACH, FONTANA AND FERLO, FEBRUARY 16, 2011 |
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| REFERRED TO EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 16, 2011 |
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| AN ACT |
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1 | Establishing a lending program in Commonwealth libraries for |
2 | electricity meters; creating a grant; and making an |
3 | appropriation. |
4 | The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
5 | hereby enacts as follows: |
6 | Section 1. Short title. |
7 | This act shall be known and may be cited as the Electricity |
8 | Meter Lending Program Act. |
9 | Section 2. Purpose. |
10 | The General Assembly finds and declares as follows: |
11 | (1) There is an increasing need for the deployment of |
12 | innovative technologies that help Pennsylvania citizens to |
13 | shift or reduce their power consumption and costs. |
14 | (2) It is the intent of this act to expand electricity |
15 | meter use and provide an expense-free and effortless way for |
16 | residents to discover the amount of electricity used by plug- |
17 | in appliances throughout the home. |
18 | (3) It is the intent of this act to encourage consumers |
19 | to become more informed energy users and make decisions that |
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1 | will reduce energy consumption, as well as encourage citizens |
2 | to consider newer high-efficiency appliances. |
3 | Section 3. Definitions. |
4 | The following words and phrases when used in this act shall |
5 | have the meanings given to them in this section unless the |
6 | context clearly indicates otherwise: |
7 | "Electricity meter." An electronic device that measures the |
8 | amount of electrical energy of a household appliance in kilowatt |
9 | hours. |
10 | "Grant." A grant issued under the Electricity Meter Lending |
11 | Program established under this act. |
12 | "Library." A local public library that receives funding from |
13 | the Commonwealth. |
14 | "Office." The Office of Commonwealth Libraries within the |
15 | Department of Education of the Commonwealth. |
16 | "Program." The Electricity Meter Lending Program established |
17 | under this act. |
18 | Section 4. Electricity Meter Lending Program. |
19 | (a) Establishment.--There is established the Electricity |
20 | Meter Lending Program within the Office of Commonwealth |
21 | Libraries. The purpose of the program is to provide grants to |
22 | libraries to provide electricity meters to lend to the public. |
23 | (b) Eligibility.--A library that receives funding from the |
24 | Commonwealth is eligible to apply for a grant for funds to |
25 | purchase electricity meters and lend the electricity meters to |
26 | the public. A municipality in which a library is located may |
27 | also apply for a grant for the library. The office, in its |
28 | discretion, shall determine the amount of a grant award to a |
29 | library. The office shall consider the population of the |
30 | library's service area and may establish additional criteria for |
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1 | awarding the grants. |
2 | (c) Requirements.--A library receiving a grant shall use the |
3 | funds to purchase electricity meters and comply with the |
4 | provisions of section 5. The office shall monitor and verify |
5 | fulfillment of all of the requirements under this act. |
6 | Section 5. Electricity meter lending. |
7 | (a) Electricity meter lending.--A library receiving a grant |
8 | shall offer electricity meters for loan to the public. |
9 | (b) Program materials.--The office shall provide and a |
10 | library receiving a grant shall make available to the public all |
11 | of the following materials: |
12 | (1) Simple operating instructions for electricity |
13 | meters. |
14 | (2) Information on how to calculate the cost of using |
15 | any appliance based on the reading on the device. |
16 | (3) Energy conservation information. |
17 | (c) Training.--At least one employee of a library receiving |
18 | a grant shall be knowledgeable about the electricity meter. |
19 | (d) Procedures.--A library shall establish procedures for |
20 | the lending of electricity meters to the public. |
21 | Section 6. Administration. |
22 | (a) Enforcement.--The office shall enforce repayment of a |
23 | grant for a library that does not comply with the provisions of |
24 | this act, to include use of all lawful collection procedures and |
25 | the use of private collection agencies. |
26 | (b) Appeals.--The provisions of this act shall be subject to |
27 | 2 Pa.C.S. Ch. 5 Subch. A (relating to practice and procedure of |
28 | Commonwealth agencies). |
29 | Section 7. Rules and regulations. |
30 | The office may promulgate rules and regulations to administer |
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1 | and enforce this act. |
2 | Section 8. Appropriation. |
3 | The sum of $40,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary, |
4 | is hereby appropriated to the Office of Commonwealth Libraries |
5 | within the Department of Education for the fiscal year July 1, |
6 | 2011, to June 30, 2012, to carry out the provisions of this act. |
7 | Section 9. Effective date. |
8 | This act shall take effect in 60 days. |
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