An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Provide Weatherization Rebates for Veterans and Persons Eligible for Social Security
Preamble. Two thirds of both Houses of the Legislature deeming it necessary in accordance with the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 14 to authorize the issuance of bonds on behalf of the State of Maine to provide funds as described in this Act,
PART A
Sec. A-1. Authorization of bonds. The Treasurer of State is authorized, under the direction of the Governor, to issue bonds in the name and on behalf of the State in an amount not exceeding $75,000,000 for the purposes described in section 5 of this Part. The bonds are a pledge of the full faith and credit of the State. The bonds may not run for a period longer than 10 years from the date of the original issue of the bonds.
Sec. A-2. Records of bonds issued; Treasurer of State. The Treasurer of State shall ensure that an account of each bond is kept showing the number of the bond, the name of the successful bidder to whom sold, the amount received for the bond, the date of sale and the date when payable.
Sec. A-3. Sale; how negotiated; proceeds appropriated. The Treasurer of State may negotiate the sale of the bonds by direction of the Governor, but no bond may be loaned, pledged or hypothecated on behalf of the State. The proceeds of the sale of the bonds, which must be held by the Treasurer of State and paid by the Treasurer of State upon warrants drawn by the State Controller, are appropriated solely for the purposes set forth in this Part. Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion of the project in this Part lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general obligation bonds.
Sec. A-4. Interest and debt retirement. The Treasurer of State shall pay interest due or accruing on any bonds issued under this Part and all sums coming due for payment of bonds at maturity.
Sec. A-5. Disbursement of bond proceeds from General Fund bond issue. The proceeds of the sale of the bonds authorized under this Part must be expended as designated in the following schedule under the direction and supervision of the agencies and entities set forth in this section.
| EFFICIENCY MAINE TRUST |
| Total | $75,000,000 |
Sec. A-6. Contingent upon ratification of bond issue. Sections 1 to 5 do not become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set forth in this Part.
Sec. A-7. Appropriation balances at year-end. At the end of each fiscal year, all unencumbered appropriation balances representing state money carry forward. Bond proceeds that have not been expended within 10 years after the date of the sale of the bonds lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general obligation bonds.
Sec. A-8. Bonds authorized but not issued. Any bonds authorized but not issued within 5 years of ratification of this Part are deauthorized and may not be issued, except that the Legislature may, within 2 years after the expiration of that 5-year period, extend the period for issuing any remaining unissued bonds for an additional amount of time not to exceed 5 years.
Sec. A-9. Referendum for ratification; submission at election; form of question; effective date. This Part must be submitted to the legal voters of the State at a statewide election held in the month of November following passage of this Act. The municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide election, to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Part by voting on the following question:
"Do you favor a $75,000,000 bond issue for the Efficiency Maine Trust to provide a weatherization rebate program for veterans and persons receiving social security retirement benefits?"
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within a corresponding square below the word "Yes" or "No." The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of State in the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall review the returns. If a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of this Part, the Governor shall proclaim the result without delay and this Part becomes effective 30 days after the date of the proclamation.
The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of this Part necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum.
PART B
Sec. B-1. 35-A MRSA §10119, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 372, Pt. B, §3, is amended to read:
(1) By 2030, to provide cost-effective energy efficiency and weatherization measures to substantially all homes and businesses whose owners wish to participate in programs established by the trust under this section.
(1) Program categories must include low-income, single-family and 2-family residential units, multifamily residential units, small business, commercial and institutional and such other categories as the trust determines appropriate;
(2) Within program categories, the trust may differentiate between programs for new construction and existing buildings; and
(3) Cost-effective energy efficiency measures must include measures that improve the energy efficiency of energy-using systems, such as heating and cooling systems, through system upgrades or conversions, including conversions to energy-efficient systems that rely on renewable energy sources or systems that rely on effective energy efficiency technologies.
(1) Incentives to consumers to purchase and install cost-effective efficiency and weatherization products and services identified by a certified energy auditor, except in the case of programs to deliver education, training or certifications;
(2) A schedule of customer copayments and loan options for prescribed products and services. Programs for low-income consumers may provide exemptions from the copayment and schedule;
(3) A plan for integrating delivery of heating fuel efficiency and weatherization measures with electric efficiency measures; and
(4) A system for the equitable allocation of costs among the contributing funds or subaccounts administered by the trust when more than one efficiency opportunity is identified.
Sec. B-2. 35-A MRSA §10119, sub-§2-A is enacted to read:
The trust by rule may establish the amount of the rebate and additional eligibility criteria.
The trust shall provide a separate accounting of the total deposits into and expenditures from the fund for this program in its report pursuant to section 10104, subsection 5, paragraph B, subparagraph (3).
Sec. B-3. Contingent on bond issue. This Part takes effect only if the bond issue authorized under Part A is approved by the voters of this State.
summary
This bill directs the Efficiency Maine Trust to establish a weatherization rebate program for persons who receive social security retirement benefits or are veterans or dependents of veterans if a $75,000,000 general obligation bond to fund the program is approved by referendum.