HB 609

HB609 ENROLLED
1 HB609
2 YMSTY2N-3
3 By Representatives Reynolds, Whitt, Crawford, Lomax, Hall,
4 Underwood
5 RFD: Ways and Means General Fund
6 First Read: 11-Mar-26
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  HB609 Enrolled
1 Enrolled, An Act,
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3Relating to weatherization assistance; to amend
4 Sections 41-23-100 and 41-23-101, Code of Alabama 1975; to
5 revise the threshold household income to qualify for
6 weatherization assistance under the Neighbors Helping
7 Neighbors Fund; to expand sources of monies that may be
8 deposited in the fund; and to authorize the Department of
9 Economic and Community Affairs to contract with certain
10 nonprofit corporations to implement the weatherization
11 assistance program.
12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
13Section 1. Sections 41-23-100 and 41-23-101, Code of
14 Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows:
15"§41-23-100
16(a) The Neighbors Helping Neighbors Fund is established
17 in the State Treasury to provide eligible recipients
18 weatherization assistance.
19(b) The monies in the fund shall consist of any of the
20 following:
21(1) Contributions from taxpayers received by the
22 Department of Revenue and transferred to the fund.
23(2)(1) Appropriations from made by and at the
24 discretion of the Legislature.
25(3)(2) Other revenue sources made by and at the
26 discretion of the Legislature.
27(3) Donations from private sourcesProceeds from any
28 gifts, grants, or contributions.
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29(4) Interest earned on principal remaining in the fund.
30(5) Any other lawful sources.
31(c) The monies in the fund shall not revert to the
32 General Fund at the end of the fiscal year."
33"§41-23-101
34(a) Eligible recipients of assistance are individuals
35 who have a household income at or below 125 200 percent of the
36 poverty level or individuals who are 60 years of age or older
37 or handicapped and families with children under 18 years of
38 age as determined by the United States Office of Management
39 and Budget and reported in the federal register.
40(b) Beginning July 1, 1996, the The Director of the
41 Department of Economic and Community Affairs shall provide
42 assistance funds to designated community action agencies and
43 county governments currently providing may contract with
44 statewide resiliency organizations to provide energy
45 assistance to people individuals who are eligible to receive
46 assistance under this article. Disbursement of assistance
47 funds shall be coordinated with all other state and federal
48 home weatherization assistance programs administered by the
49 Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
50(c) An amount of not more than 10 percent of the fund
51 monies may be used for administrative costs in providing
52 services specified under this article.
53(d) On or before October 15 of each year, the director
54 shall submit a report to the appropriate legislative
55 committees. The report shall include a summary of the total
56 monies collected and distributed under this article and such
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57 other information as the legislative committees may request.
58(e) For purposes of this section, "statewide resiliency
59 organization" means an Alabama nonprofit corporation in the
60 state that:
61(1) Is exempt from federal income tax under 26 U.S.C. §
62 501(c)(3);
63(2) Is charged with improving the resiliency, energy
64 efficiency, and safety of the state's residential housing
65 stock for low and moderate income communities.
66(3) Has adopted a conflict of interest policy
67 consistent with the sample policy provided by the Internal
68 Revenue Service and requires its directors to serve without
69 compensation;
70(4) Participates in large-scale residential energy
71 efficiency programs within the state; and
72(5) Possesses the capacity to leverage private,
73 federal, and state funds to maximize the impact of the
74 assistance provided under this section."
75Section 2. This act shall become effective on June 1,
76 2026.
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85________________________________________________
86Speaker of the House of Representatives
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90________________________________________________
91President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
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94House of Representatives
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96I hereby certify that the within Act originated in and
97 was passed by the House 01-Apr-26.
98
99John Treadwell
100Clerk
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106 Senate  08-Apr-26  Passed
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