HB 229

1
A bill to be entitled
2An act relating to unclaimed deposits held by
3utilities; amending s. 717.108, F.S.; requiring that
4any unclaimed deposits held by a utility be deposited
5annually into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund in
6the Department of Community Affairs, or its successor
7agency, to supplement the Low-Income Home Energy
8Assistance Program; providing an effective date.
9
10Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
11
12     Section 1.  Section 717.108, Florida Statutes, is amended
13to read:
14     717.108  Deposits held by utilities.-
15     (1)  Any deposit, including any interest thereon, made by a
16subscriber with a utility to secure payment or any sum paid in
17advance for utility services to be furnished, less any lawful
18charges, which that remains unclaimed by the owner for more than
191 year after termination of the services for which the deposit
20or advance payment was made is presumed unclaimed.
21     (2)  The unclaimed deposits shall be deposited annually
22into the Grants and Donations Trust Fund within the Department
23of Community Affairs, or the Department of Community Affairs'
24successor agency, to supplement funds of the Low-Income Home
25Energy Assistance Program which are used to assist low-income
26households in meeting the costs of home heating and cooling
27bills. These funds shall be administered through the local
28provider agencies that administer the Low-Income Home Energy
29Assistance Program.
30     Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.


CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.