Lawmakers Pass Bill To Address High Heating Costs

 By Susan Haigh

Associated Press

HARTFORD — Wait about a month to buy that new furnace.

State lawmakers on Tuesday passed an energy assistance bill that would establish a sales tax holiday from November 25 to April 1, 2006, on weatherizing products, energy-efficient home heating equipment, and windows.

Meeting in a special session, they set aside an additional $23.8 million to expand a state energy assistance program for needy families, providing an additional $200 per family during the heating season to help pay for natural gas, oil, or other fuels.

They also created a new program to reimburse eligible families $50 for energy-saving measures such as tuning up heating equipment or installing water heater blankets, window film, or programmable thermostats.

With fuel prices rising, lawmakers said they did not want to wait until the start of the regular session in February to pass the package.

Social service advocates have predicted that demand for state fuel assistance will jump this winter given the predicted price spikes in natural gas and oil.

“This is a true emergency and we would be failing greatly in our duties if we did not meet today to do what we are doing,” said Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney, D-New Haven.

Republicans also supported the legislation.

“I’m not one to believe that government can and should do so many of the things this legislature gets involved in,” said Rep Kevin DelGobbo, R-Naugatuck, ranking Republican on the energy committee. “However, I do believe with home heating costs forecast to rise from 17 to 77 percent this winter, this bill is an appropriate and necessary response of government.”

The bill passed unanimously in both the House and Senate. It next moves to Govenor M. Jodi Rell’s desk. Rell is expected to sign the bill into law.

Lawmakers plan to spend at least this week and next in special session. Besides the energy assistance bill, they plan to tackle issues such as state contracting rules, eminent domain, campaign financing, and regulations concerning insurers notifying the state Motor Vehicles Department about lapsed coverage for trucking firms.

The energy bill would provide additional help in paying winter heating bills under the state’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Plan (LIHEAP) program. The current basic benefit is $475 per heating season. The bill would provide an additional $200, for a total of $675.

The legislation would also provide a $300 benefit to non-LIHEAP households earning up to 60 percent of the median state income.

In addition to financial assistance, the legislation would create low interest loans for eligible homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

The bill would also create a Home Heating Oil Planning Council to address home heating issues and state policies, and the Office of Policy and Management is required to monitor pricing. There is a provision in the bill that doubles civil penalties for price gouging.