H-1577.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2096

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      57th Legislature     2001 Regular Session

By Representatives Dunshee, Mulliken, Santos and Schual‑Berke

Read first time 02/14/2001.  Referred to Committee on Local Government & Housing.

Authorizing water-sewer districts to engage in general fund-raising for programs for low-income customers.

    AN ACT Relating to assistance for low-income residential utility customers; and amending RCW 57.46.010.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 57.46.010 and 1996 c 230 s 1401 are each amended to read as follows:

A district may engage in general fund-raising activities for the purpose of enhancing contributions to assistance programs described in this section.  A district may also include along with, or as part of its regular customer billings, a request for voluntary contributions to assist qualified low-income residential customers of the district in paying their district bills.  All funds received by the district in response to such requests shall be transmitted to the grantee of the department of community, trade, and economic development which administers federally funded energy assistance programs for the state in the district's service area or to a charitable organization within the district's service area.  All such funds shall be used solely to supplement assistance to low-income residential customers of the district in paying their district bills.  The grantee or charitable organization shall be responsible to determine which of the district's customers are qualified for low-income assistance and the amount of assistance to be provided to those who are qualified.

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