A.__The commission shall credit all repayments of loans made to businesses, including interest, penalties and other fees and charges related to fund loans to the fund account.

B.__Money in the fund not needed to meet the current obligations of the program must be deposited with the Treasurer of State to the credit of the fund account and may be invested in such manner as is provided by law. Interest received on that investment must be credited to the fund account.

C.__At the end of each fiscal year, all unencumbered balances in the fund account may be carried forward to be used for the purposes specified in this subsection.

SUMMARY

This bill, which is reported by a majority of the Joint Standing Committee on Utilities and Energy pursuant to its authority under Public Law 2003, chapter 497, repeals various energy-related responsibilities of the Department of Economic and Community Development and moves the substance of most of those responsibilities to the Public Utilities Commission. The bill gives greater flexibility to the commission in administering these responsibilities.

In particular, the bill repeals law relating to a manual of accepted practices for building energy standards, an information fact sheet concerning insulation materials, a solar equipment warranty, a solar energy equipment installers voluntary certificate program; and an energy auditors voluntary certificate program. The bill requires the Public Utilities Commission to provide public information about energy technologies and energy efficiency practices; to examine and consider developing information manuals, including a manual of accepted practices, fact sheets, including a fact sheet on insulation materials, and training programs for persons who install, maintain or use energy technologies or must comply with energy-related standards; and to