Bill Text: MI SB0087 | 2017-2018 | 99th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Human services; services or financial assistance; water rate affordability; provide for. Creates new act.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-02-01 - Referred To Committee On Government Operations [SB0087 Detail]

Download: Michigan-2017-SB0087-Introduced.html

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SENATE BILL No. 87

 

 

February 1, 2017, Introduced by Senator JOHNSON and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

 

 

 

     A bill to create a water affordability program; to create a

 

water affordability fund to provide assistance to low-income state

 

residents for water services; and to prescribe the powers and

 

duties of certain state departments.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "water

 

affordability act".

 

     Sec. 3. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Department" means the department of health and human

 

services.

 

     (b) "Eligible customer" means a customer whose household

 

income does not exceed 200% of the poverty guidelines, as published

 

by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

 

     (c) "Fund" means the water affordability fund created in

section 7.

 

     Sec. 5. (1) The water affordability program is created within

 

the department. The department shall develop and administer the

 

water affordability program under this act.

 

     (2) Under the water affordability program, the department

 

shall do all of the following:

 

     (a) Review eligibility criteria to determine whether an

 

individual is an eligible customer.

 

     (b) Determine the household income of eligible customers.

 

     (c) Disburse money from the fund to eligible customers to

 

assist with payment of the eligible customer's water services bill.

 

The department shall determine the amount of money from the fund to

 

provide each eligible customer.

 

     Sec. 7. (1) The water affordability fund is created within the

 

state treasury.

 

     (2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from

 

any source for deposit into the fund. The state treasurer shall

 

direct the investment of the fund. The state treasurer shall credit

 

to the fund interest and earnings from fund investments.

 

     (3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall

 

remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.

 

     (4) The department shall be the administrator of the fund for

 

auditing purposes.

 

     (5) The department shall expend money from the fund, upon

 

appropriation, only for 1 or more of the following purposes:

 

     (a) To administer the water affordability program created

 

under this act.

     (b) To provide eligible customers with assistance for water

 

services.

 

     Enacting section 1. This act takes effect 90 days after the

 

date it is enacted into law.