Utility Lifeline for the Elderly Rate Reform Act of 1980
Latest action. Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Utility Lifeline for the Elderly Rate Reform Act of 1980 - Prohibits an electric or natural gas utility from charging an elderly residential consumer (an individual at least 65 years of age who is the head or principal income earner of a household or who receives Federal retirement benefits) an amount greater than the lowest charge per kilowatt-hour or cents per therm for any other consumer for a subsistence quantity of electric energy or natural gas in any month for such consumer's principal residence. Defines subsistence quantity as the number of kilowatt-hours or therms of natural gas per month which a regulatory authority (regulatory body which has ratemaking authority over electric or natural gas utilities in its jurisdiction) determines is necessary to supply minimum subsistence electric and natural gas needs of elderly consumers for residential uses. Requires an electric or natural gas utility to sell electric energy or natural gas in accordance with a rate schedule fixed, approved, or permitted to go into effect by a regulatory authority having jurisdiction over such utility. Prohibits a regulatory authority from fixing, approving, or permitting to go into effect any rate schedule which violates this Act. Provides for administrative or judicial review of any action by a Federal or State regulatory authority which is alleged by an individual to be a violation of this Act. Imposes criminal sanctions on anyone who fraudulently misrepresents his or her status as a residential electric consumer. Directs the Secretary of Energy to provide technical and financial assistance to State and municipal regulatory authorities for the establishment of subsistence standards for the elderly. Requires the Secretary to submit to Congress a report on electric and natural gas utility rate structures, electric and natural gas consumption, and the operation of electric and natural gas utilities. Directs the Secretary to study the effect of rate changes and incremental pricing on consumers.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on August 5, 1980. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on August 5, 1980: Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
GARY HART (D-CO) introduced it on August 5, 1980. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on August 5, 1980, 16837 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 16837 days ago, on August 5, 1980.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers