Electric utility bill assist

AN ACT Relating to requiring electric utilities to provide 1
monthly bill assistance as part of their obligation to offer energy 2
assistance to low-income households; amending RCW 19.405.120; and 3
providing an effective date. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
Sec. 1. RCW 19.405.120 and 2019 c 288 s 12 are each amended to 6
read as follows: 7
(1) It is the intent of the legislature to demonstrate progress 8
toward ((making energy assistance funds available to low-income 9
households)) addressing the disproportionate impacts of home energy 10
bills on low-income households and reduce energy assistance need 11
consistent with the policies identified in this section.12
(2)(a) An electric utility with 25,000 or more retail customers 13
must ((make programs and funding available for energy assistance to 14
low-income households by July 31, 2021 )) offer energy assistance 15
programs, which must include a monthly bill discount program 16
consistent with subsection (3) of this section, sufficient to meet 17
energy assistance need, to all low-income customers by January 1, 18
2028, using funds generated by the utility's operations.19
(b) An electric utility with fewer than 25,000 retail customers 20
must offer at least one energy assistance program, which must include 21
H-2703.2
HOUSE BILL 2373
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Mena, Ramel, Parshley, Street, Kloba, Thomas,
Ormsby, Scott, Bergquist, and Hill
Prefiled 01/09/26. Read first time 01/12/26. Referred to Committee
on Environment & Energy.
p. 1 HB 2373
a monthly bill discount program consistent with subsection (3) of 1
this section, sufficient to meet energy assistance need, to all low-2
income customers by January 1, 2028, using funds generated by the 3
utility's operations. 4
(c) Each utility must demonstrate progress in ((providing energy 5
assistance pursuant to the assessment and plans in subsection (4) of 6
this section. To the extent practicable, priority must be given )) 7
each biennial period in increasing program participation rates and 8
reducing energy burden. A utility must prioritize assistance to low-9
income households with a higher energy burden. 10
(3) ((Beginning July 31, 2020, the )) The monthly bill discount 11
program must:12
(a) Provide an income-tiered bill discount to provide greater 13
levels of assistance to households with a higher energy burden. The 14
program must have a minimum of five income tiers. Benefit levels in 15
each tier must be set to approximate the discount needed to meet 16
energy assistance need for households in each tier;17
(b) Provide a reasonable discount to low-income households that 18
are not in energy assistance need;19
(c) Rely on a third-party low-income needs assessment, updated no 20
less often than every five years, to determine the income tiers and 21
benefit levels specified in (a) and (b) of this subsection (3).22
(4) Under the program specified in subsection (3) of this 23
section:24
(a) If an electric utility customer is unable to receive a 25
monthly discount on their bill, the electric utility may provide a 26
comparable monthly lump-sum payment to the household;27
(b) An electric utility may choose to maintain prior benefit 28
levels to households if the previous benefit levels are greater than 29
those required under this section.30
(5) In order to remove barriers and expedite assistance, each 31
electric utility must, through the low-income energy assistance 32
programs required under this section:33
(a) Offer in-person and over the phone opportunities to enroll in 34
the program through the utility;35
(b) Offer opportunities to enroll in the program on the utility's 36
web page;37
(c) Offer streamlined eligibility options, including categorical 38
eligibility and self-attestation. An electric utility may use 39
community action councils or other third parties to audit incomes. An 40
p. 2 HB 2373
electric utility may require recertification of program eligibility 1
by a program participant no more frequently than once every two 2
years; 3
(d) Establish application requirements that are limited to what 4
is necessary to enroll the household and effectively implement the 5
program;6
(e) Codesign outreach materials and campaigns with community-7
based organizations, including local low-income service providers 8
that specialize in serving low-income Black, indigenous, and people 9
of color. An electric utility may enter into an agreement with the 10
department to use outreach materials and strategies developed by the 11
department and conduct outreach and enrollment for the purposes of 12
enhancing participation of eligible households in utility low-income 13
programs;14
(f) Develop the electric utility's energy assistance web page and 15
program materials for multiple languages, and have the web page and 16
materials reviewed and approved by first language speakers in 17
Washington state; and18
(g) Provide quarterly bill inserts or email notifications to 19
customers with program eligibility and enrollment information. 20
Electric utilities may use model bill inserts or other text produced 21
by the department to satisfy this requirement.22
(6) The department must collect and aggregate data estimating the 23
energy burden and energy assistance need and reported energy 24
assistance for each electric utility, ((in order)) to improve agency 25
and utility efforts to serve low-income households with energy 26
assistance. The department must update the aggregated data on a 27
biennial basis, make it publicly accessible on its internet website 28
and, to the extent practicable, include geographic attributes.29
(a) The aggregated data published by the department must include, 30
but is not limited to: 31
(i) The estimated number and demographic characteristics of 32
households served by energy assistance for each utility and the 33
dollar value of the assistance; 34
(ii) The estimated level of energy burden and energy assistance 35
need among customers served, accounting for household income and 36
other drivers of energy burden; 37
(iii) Housing characteristics including housing type, home 38
vintage, and fuel types; and 39
(iv) Energy efficiency potential. 40
p. 3 HB 2373
(b) Each utility must disclose information to the department for 1
use under this subsection, including: 2
(i) The amount and type of energy assistance and the number and 3
type of households, if applicable, served for programs administered 4
by the utility; 5
(ii) The amount of money passed through to third parties that 6
administer energy assistance programs; ((and))7
(iii) The amount of money used to mitigate rate impacts to low-8
income customers and a description of any other benefits provided to 9
ratepayers from the sale of allowances as required under RCW 10
70A.65.120(4), if applicable; and11
(iv) Subject to availability, any other information related to 12
the utility's low-income assistance programs that is requested by the 13
department. 14
(c) The information required by (b) of this subsection must be 15
from the electric utility's most recent completed budget period and 16
in a form, timeline, and manner as prescribed by the department.17
(((4))) (7)(a) In addition to the requirements under subsection 18
(((3))) (6) of this section, each electric utility must submit 19
biennially to the department an assessment of: 20
(i) The programs and mechanisms used by the utility to reduce 21
energy burden and the effectiveness of those programs ((and 22
mechanisms in both short-term and sustained energy burden 23
reductions)); 24
(ii) The outreach strategies used to encourage participation of 25
eligible households, including consultation with community-based 26
organizations and Indian tribes as appropriate, and comprehensive 27
enrollment campaigns that are linguistically and culturally 28
appropriate to the customers they serve in vulnerable populations; 29
and 30
(iii) A cumulative assessment of program participation rates and 31
previous funding levels ((for energy assistance compared to the 32
funding levels needed to meet: (A) Sixty percent of the current 33
energy assistance need, or increasing energy assistance by fifteen 34
percent over the amount provided in 2018, whichever is greater, by 35
2030; and (B) ninety percent of the current energy assistance need by 36
2050)). 37
(b) The assessment required in (a) of this subsection must 38
include a plan to improve the effectiveness of the assessed 39
mechanisms and strategies toward meeting the energy assistance need.40
p. 4 HB 2373
(((5))) (8) A consumer-owned utility may enter into an agreement 1
with a public university, community-based organization, or joint 2
operating agency organized under chapter 43.52 RCW to aggregate the 3
disclosures required in this section and submit the assessment 4
required in subsections (((3) and (4))) (6) and (7) of this section.5
(((6))) (9)(a) The department must submit a biennial report to 6
the legislature that: 7
(i) Aggregates information into a statewide summary of energy 8
assistance programs, energy burden, and energy assistance need;9
(ii) Identifies and quantifies current expenditures on low-income 10
energy assistance; and 11
(iii) Evaluates the effectiveness of additional ((optimal)) 12
mechanisms for energy assistance including, but not limited to, 13
customer rates, a low-income specific discount, system benefits 14
charges, and public and private funds. 15
(b) The department must also assess mechanisms to prioritize 16
energy assistance towards low-income households with a higher energy 17
burden. 18
(((7))) (10) Nothing in this section may be construed to restrict 19
the rate-making authority of the commission or the governing body of 20
a consumer-owned utility as otherwise provided by law.21
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Section 1 of this act takes effect January 22
1, 2028.23
--- END ---
p. 5 HB 2373