,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #eedb  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,janu>y #g1 #bjbj,ms4 
,%]rill 7= h]self & ,ms4 ,blunt ,ro*e/]7
 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$  
to ! ,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce  ,a
 ,,bill  ,to require ! ,secret>y (      
,en]gy to e/abli% a grant program =     
,/ates to provide inc5tives to natural  
gas di/ribution companies = ! improvem5t
 ( natural gas di/ribution sy/ems1 & =  
o!r purposes4  #a4 ,improv+ ! natural   
gas di/ribution sy/em  7a7 ,e/abli%m5t (
 program ,n lat] ?an #a ye> aft] ! date 
( enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y (    
,en]gy %all e/abli% a program to aw>d   
grants to ,/ates1 9 accordance ) ?is    
section1 = ! purpose ( improv+ public   
safety & environm5tal p]=mance ( !      
natural gas di/ribution sy/em by (fsett+
 rate increases to l[-income h\seholds &
 provid+ inc5tives = natural gas        
di/ribution companies to accel]ate1     
exp&1 or enhance improvem5ts to !       
natural gas di/ribution sy/em4  7b7     

,grants to ,/ates  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,a     
,/ate may apply = a grant "u ?is section
 to provide funds to natural gas        
di/ribution companies 9 ! ,/ate t are   
c>ry+ out an eligible project describ$ 9
 subsection 7c74  7#b7 ,requirem5ts ,9  
apply+ = a grant "u ?is section1 a ,/ate
 %all demon/rate h[ ! ,/ate rate-sett+  
commission w ensure t funds provid$ "u  
?is section are us$ 9 accordance ) !    
requirem5ts ( ?is section4  7c7         
,eligible projects ,a project t is      
eligible to be fund$ ?r\gh a grant to a 
,/ate "u ?is section is a project c>ri$ 
out by a natural gas di/ribution company
 to accel]ate1 exp&1 or enhance !       
implem5tation ( a plan1 approv$ by !    
,/ate be=e ! date on :i* an application 
= a grant "u ?is section is submitt$ to 
! ,secret>y1 =--  7#a7 replacem5t ( ca/ 
& wr\ght iron & b>e /eel pipes & o!r    
leak-prone compon5ts ( ! natural gas    
di/ribution sy/em2 or  7#b7 inspection &
 ma9t5ance programs = ! natural gas     
di/ribution sy/em4  7d7 ,rate assi/ance 

,a natural gas di/ribution company      
receiv+ funds ?r\gh a grant to a ,/ate  
"u ?is section may use su* funds only to
 (fset ! ne>-t]m increm5tal co/s to     
l[-income h\seholds z reflect$ 9 utility
 rate increases & ! ne>-t]m increm5tal  
co/s ( accel]at+1 exp&+1 or enhanc+     
improvem5ts to ! natural gas di/ribution
 sy/em includ$ 9 ! ,/ate-approv$ plan4  
7e7 ,limit to transitional assi/ance ,a 
,/ate may provide funds to a natural gas
 di/ribution company "u ?is section = a 
p]iod n to exce$ #d ye>s4  7f7          
,prioritization ,9 aw>d+ grants "u ?is  
section1 ! ,secret>y %all prioritize    
applications bas$ on ! expect$ results (
 an eligible project c>ri$ out pursuant 
to ! ,/ate proposal ) respect to--  7#a7
 quantifiable b5efits = public safety2  
7#b7 ! magnitude ( me?ane emissions     
r$uctions2  7#c7 innovation 9 te*nical  
or policy approa*es2  7#d7 ! numb] (    
l[-income h\seholds anticipat$ to b5efit
 f ! assi/ance2 &  7#e7 ov]all          
co/-effectiv5ess ( ! project4  7g7      

,audit+ & report+ requirem5ts ,!        
,secret>y %all e/abli% audit+ & report+ 
requirem5ts = ,/ates ) respect to !     
p]=mance ( eligible projects fund$      
pursuant to grants aw>d$ "u ?is section 
) respect to meet+ ! goals ( ! program  
describ$ 9 subsection 7f74  7h7         
,prevail+ wages ,all labor]s & me*anics 
employ$ by contractors or subcontractors
 9 ! p]=mance ( con/ruction1 alt]ation1 
or repair "w assi/$1 9 :ole or 9 "p1 by 
a grant "u ?is section %all be paid     
wages at rates n less ?an ^? prevail+ on
 simil> con/ruction 9 ! locality z      
det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y ( ,labor 9       
accordance ) sub*apt] ,,iv ( *apt] #ca (
 title #dj4 ,) respect to ! labor /&>ds 
9 ?is subsection1 ! ,secret>y ( ,labor  
%all h ! au?ority & functions set =? 9  
,reorganization ,plan ,numb]$ #ad (     
#aiej 7#fd ,/at4 #abfg2 #e ,u4,s4,c4    
,app47 & section #cade ( title #dj4  7i7
 ,def9itions ,9 ?is section3 7#a7       
,l[-income h\sehold ,! t]m l[-income    
h\sehold means a h\sehold t is eligible 

to receive paym5ts "u section           
#bfje7;b77#b7 ( ! ,l[-,income ,home     
,en]gy ,assi/ance ,act ( #aiha 7#db     
,u4,s4,c4 #hfbd7;b77#b774  7#b7 ,natural
 gas di/ribution company ,! t]m natural 
gas di/ribution company means a p]son or
 municipality engag$ 9 ! local          
di/ribution ( natural gas to ! public4  
7j7 ,au?orization ( appropriations ,!re 
are au?oriz$ to be appropriat$ to !     
,secret>y #bej1jjj1jjj to c>ry out ?is  
section 9 ea* fiscal ye> beg9n+ 9 fiscal
 ye> #bjba & end+ 9 fiscal ye> #bjcj4