HB 336-ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM & VOUCHERS  3:25:15 PM CO-CHAIR PRUITT announced that the final order of business would be HOUSE BILL NO. 336, "An Act establishing an energy assistance program in the Department of Revenue to issue an energy voucher to Alaska permanent fund dividend recipients; and relating to the analysis and recommendation of an energy assistance program by the governor." 3:25:32 PM PAUL LABOLLE, Staff to Representative Neal Foster, Alaska State Legislature, presented the new proposed committee substitute (CS) for HB 336, Version 27-LS1403\E, Nauman, 4/2/12, by explaining the changes between Version I and Version E. The language added during the previous House Special Committee on Energy hearing "other identifying information" is now found on page 3, line 14, of Version E and he read: the address or other identifying information requested by the corporation listed on the heating oil, natural gas, or electricity account that the voucher will credit MR. LABOLLE referred to three of the other changes adopted during the previous hearing and said the drafter recommended incorporating those changes in "a more complex language section" beginning with the following new language on page 4, line 1, which read: (g) If a recipient of an energy voucher certifies on a form provided by the corporation, bearing notice that false statements made on the form are punishable by law, that the recipient MR. LABOLLE advised that the drafter replicated the language in section 1, subsection (g) of Version I and divided it into subsections thus on page 4, line 1 of Version E, subsection (g) currently only illustrates that the recipient provide a notice that false statements made in this form are punishable by law, whereas Version I subsection (g) cited both access to a distributor and that they did not directly pay for energy or heat costs. The new section 1 in Version E states the requirements of not paying directly for heating oil or not having reasonable access to a qualified distributor. Section 1, subsection (g) paragraph (1) in Version I was replaced by section 1, subsection (g) subparagraph (A) in Version E which read: for a replacement voucher in the name of the landlord of the primary residence in the state [in] which the recipient resides, the full value of which shall be deducted by the landlord from the recipient's rent; 3:29:07 PM MR. LABOLLE continued to section 1, subsection (g), subparagraph (B) in Version E, which was a replication of what was previously found in subsection (g) paragraph (2) in Version I, "dealing with the $250 for rent." Section 1, subsection (g), paragraph (2) in Version E, deals with the $500 payment for a fuel that is not heating oil, natural gas, or electricity. Mr. Labolle reminded the committee there were concerns about the ability of the power cost equalization (PCE) program and condominium associations to respond to the bill. He was advised by the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC), Department of Revenue, that these instances can be addressed through regulation rather than statute. Returning attention to page 4, line 10 of Version E, he said "energy or heating costs" was deleted; however, the drafter recommended that language should remain, otherwise those who live off the road system - without access to a qualified distributer - but who do heat with fuel oil, natural gas, or electricity, would be exempted from the bill. 3:33:00 PM REPRESENTATIVE OLSON moved to adopt the proposed CS for HB 336, Version 27-LS1403\E, Nauman, 4/2/12, as the working document. There being no objection, Version E was before the committee. 3:33:34 PM REPRESENTATIVE OLSON moved to adopt the fiscal note identified as HB336CS(ENE)-DOR-PFD-03-27-12, fiscal note number 1. There being no objection, the fiscal note was adopted. 3:34:49 PM REPRESENTATIVE TUCK asked for clarification on which fiscal note was adopted. The committee took a brief at-ease. 3:36:32 PM REPRESENTATIVE OLSON moved to adopt the fiscal note identified as HB336CS(ENE)-DOR-AHFC-04-03-12. There being no objection, the fiscal note was adopted. 3:37:47 PM CO-CHAIR FOSTER moved to report the proposed CS for HB 336, Version 27-LS1403\E, Nauman 4/2/12, out of committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying fiscal notes. There being no objection, CSHB 336(ENE) was reported out of the House Special Committee on Energy.