HF 3578

1st Committee Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008)

Posted on 12/22/2009 12:39 p.m.

1.1A bill for an act 1.2relating to energy; clarifying terms of propane prepurchase program; amending 1.3Minnesota Statutes 2007 Supplement, section 216B.0951, subdivision 1. 1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 1.5    Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2007 Supplement, section 216B.0951, subdivision 1, 1.6is amended to read: 1.7    Subdivision 1. Establishment. The commissioner of commerce shall operate, or 1.8contract to operate, a propane fuel prepurchase fuel program. new text begin The commissioner must hold new text end 1.9 new text begin up to $4,000,000 of a year's federal low-income home energy assistance appropriation new text end 1.10 new text begin for use in the next year to prepurchase propane. new text end The commissioner may contract at any 1.11time of the year to purchase the lesser of one-third of the liquid propane fuel consumed by 1.12low-income home energy assistance program recipients during the previous heating season 1.13or the amount that can be purchased with available funds. The propane fuel prepurchase 1.14program must be available statewide through each local agency new text begin agencies new text end that administers 1.15 new text begin administer new text end the energy assistance program. The commissioner may decide to limit or not 1.16engage in prepurchasing if the commissioner finds that there is a reasonable likelihood 1.17that prepurchasing will not provide fuel-cost savings. new text begin Funds required to be held over to new text end 1.18 new text begin the next year for prepurchase that the commissioner decides not to use for prepurchase are new text end 1.19 new text begin not required to be held over to a subsequent year and may be used for other authorized new text end 1.20 new text begin low-income home energy assistance purposes. new text end