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A00759 Summary:

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A00759 Floor Votes:

A00759 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                         759--A
                                                                 Cal. No. 54
 
                               2011-2012 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                       (Prefiled)
 
                                     January 5, 2011
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by M. of A. DINOWITZ, ROBINSON, JAFFEE -- Multi-Sponsored by
          -- M. of A.  BARRON -- read once and  referred  to  the  Committee  on
          Aging  --  advanced to a third reading, amended and ordered reprinted,

          retaining its place on the order of third reading
 
        AN ACT to amend the elder law, in relation to the senior citizen  energy
          packaging  pilot  program and making technical changes thereto; and to
          repeal section 221 of such law  relating  to  the  legislative  intent
          underlying the senior citizen energy packaging pilot program
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. Section 222 of the elder law is amended to read as follows:
     2    § 222. Senior citizen energy  packaging  pilot  program.  1.  (a)  The
     3  legislature  finds  and  declares  that  a significant percentage of the
     4  state's senior citizens live at or below  the  poverty  level.  In  many
     5  cases,  energy costs reach or exceed thirty percent of household income.

     6  These factors make energy conservation efforts on behalf of  low  income
     7  elderly  crucial. The legislature further finds that energy conservation
     8  programs have been under-utilized  by  such  citizens  because  of  such
     9  factors  as  reduced  mobility,  social  and physical isolation, and the
    10  complexity of the maze of services available.
    11    (b) The legislature therefore declares that a pilot program to  assist
    12  such  citizens to conserve energy should be implemented by the office in
    13  conjunction with county offices for the aging. The  legislature  further
    14  declares that such a program will further the energy conservation objec-
    15  tives  of the state and should be partially supported by petroleum over-
    16  charge restitution funds.

    17    2. Within the amounts appropriated therefor, the office  shall  estab-
    18  lish  guidelines  for  and  administer a senior citizen energy packaging
    19  pilot program to be carried out by county offices for the aging  in  the
    20  counties  of  Nassau, Suffolk, Broome, Erie, and Tompkins and such other
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD03336-03-1
        A. 759--A                           2
 
     1  counties as funds may allow. Wherever possible, such  program  shall  be
     2  coordinated  with appropriate existing programs of public utilities, the
     3  state energy office, and the department of state.

     4    [2.] 3. These appropriations shall be used specifically for the train-
     5  ing  of  personnel  within  county offices for the aging to insure their
     6  thorough familiarity with state and federal energy conservation programs
     7  and benefits and their ability to facilitate receipt of such benefits by
     8  the client population.  These  appropriations  shall  also  be  used  to
     9  provide salaries, appropriate benefits and expenses of such personnel in
    10  carrying out the purposes of the pilot program. Depending on the size of
    11  the  client population to be served, no more than five of such personnel
    12  shall be trained and utilized in any county.
    13    [3.] 4. The client population shall consist of those  senior  citizens
    14  living  at or below the poverty level. Whenever possible, priority shall
    15  be given to serving first those in greatest need of assistance,  includ-

    16  ing but not limited to, home energy assistance program recipients.
    17    § 2. Section 221 of the elder law is REPEALED.
    18    § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.