S. 1700: LIHEAP Parity Act

This bill, known as the **LIHEAP Parity Act**, aims to make changes to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981, which helps families with low income pay for heating and cooling their homes. The primary focus of the bill is to improve the formula used to determine how much funding each state receives for this assistance program.

Key Changes Proposed

• The bill proposes an amendment to the existing law's section regarding how state allotments are calculated. Specifically, it removes specific restrictions on the calculation process.
• It directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a new regulation that will more accurately calculate the funding that each state deserves based on updated and relevant data.

Regulations and Oversight

The Secretary of Health and Human Services will have the responsibility of issuing regulations that specify:

1. The precise method to be used for calculating state allotments under the revised formula.
2. The data sources that the Administration for Children and Families will rely on to determine these allotments.
3. How frequently these data sources will be updated, ensuring that the calculations reflect current conditions accurately.

Goals of the Bill

The main goal of the LIHEAP Parity Act is to ensure that funding for low-income energy assistance is fairly distributed among states, allowing for better support for families facing challenges in paying energy costs. The revisions are aimed at increasing the reliability and fairness of funding allocation.

Relevant Companies

• None found