Summary:

 Senate Bill 156 (SB 156) relates to energy, alphabetizing definitions and adding a definition for "low-income customer" to the public utility act; exempts low-income customers from rate riders for new interconnected customers; and provides instructions for the qualification of low-income customers. 

Legislation Overview:

 Senate Bill 156 (SB 156) amends Section 62-3-3 NMSA 1978, alphabetizing definitions and adding a definition for “low-income customer” as follows:

•	"low-income customer" means a residential customer of an electric public utility with an annual household income at or below eighty percent of the county area median income, as published by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Section 62-13-13.2 NMSA 1978 is amended to exclude “low-income customers” from the definition of a "new interconnected customer.”

A new section of the Public Utility Act is enacted to provide criteria for qualifying low-income customers, including:

(1) a signed self-attestation that the customer's household income and household size qualify the customer as a low-income customer; 
(2) proof of residence in a low-income or affordable housing facility; or 
(3) proof of current enrollment in a low-income program facilitated or administered by the state or federal government, including: 

(a) the federal Medicaid program; 
(b) the federal supplemental nutrition assistance program; 
(c) the federal low income home energy assistance program; 
(d) a state or federal first-time homeowner or housing rehabilitation program; 
(e) the federal temporary assistance for needy families program; 
(f) the federal supplemental security income program; 
(g) the federal special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children; 
(h) the federal food distribution program on Indian reservations; 
(i) the federal section eight housing choice voucher program; 
(j) the federal solar for all program; or 
(k) any other state or federal program that provides assistance for people who would qualify as low-income customers, as determined by the commission. 

By December 31, 2025 and in the month of December of each year thereafter, an electric public utility shall notify its customers of the requirements to qualify as a low-income customer and instructions on how to submit any required documentation. An electric public utility may not require a customer who has qualified as a low-income customer to requalify as a low-income customer within five years of the customer's last qualification.

 

Current Law:

 Current definitions are not alphabetized, and the proposed definition for “low-income customer” is not incorporated within the Public Utility Act. Low-income customers are not exempted from rate riders for new interconnected customers; and the detailed instructions for the qualification of low-income customers are not included.