HOMES Act

Bill: 112-hr-4230
Sponsor: Rep. McKinley, David B. [R-WV-1]
Introduced: 2012-03-21 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Computers and information technology
Contracts and agency
Department of Energy
Employment and training programs
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental technology
Government information and archives
Housing and community development funding
Licensing and registrations
Lighting, heating, cooling
Minority and disadvantaged businesses
Performance measurement
Public contracts and procurement
Public-private cooperation
Residential rehabilitation and home repair
Women in business

Summary:
action_date: 2012-03-21
text: 
Home Owner Managing Energy Savings Act of 2012 or the HOMES Act - Requires the Secretary of Energy (DOE) to establish the Home Energy Savings Retrofit Rebate Program to provide rebates to: (1) contractors to be passed through as discounts to homeowners who retrofit their homes to achieve energy savings, or (2) homeowners to be transferred to contractors for retrofit work. Requires the Secretary to establish: (1) a Federal Rebate Processing System to enable rebate aggregators to submit claims for reimbursement, and (2) a national retrofit website that provides information on the Program.
 
Requires the Secretary to: (1) develop a network of rebate aggregators or a national rebate aggregator that can facilitate the delivery of rebates to reimburse participating homeowners or contractors, and (2) develop guidelines for states to allow utilities participating as rebate aggregators to count the energy savings from their participation toward state-level energy saving targets. Sets forth eligibility criteria for rebate aggregators.
 
Requires rebates to be awarded for retrofits that achieve home energy savings in accordance with this Act if a qualified home energy efficiency retrofit of a home is carried out after January 1, 2013, by a qualified contractor. Establishes the amount of such rebates as $2,000 for a 20-24% reduction in home energy use, $3000 for a 25-29% reduction, $4,000 for a 30-34% reduction, $5,000 for a 35-39% reduction, $6,000 for a 40-44% reduction, $7,000 for a 45-49% reduction, and $8,000 for a 50% or more reduction. Requires rebates to be paid within 60 days of the submission of the rebate forms and completion of any quality assurance assessments.
 
Requires: (1) the Secretary to establish a cost effective schedule of required quality assurance assessments, and (2) all homes to be required to have such assessment in the first year of the Program. 
 
Prohibits rebates from exceeding: (1) $10,000 per individual, or (2) 50% of the qualified home energy efficiency expenditures paid or incurred by the homeowner. Sets forth eligibility criteria for such expenditures and retrofits.
 
Requires a state or Indian tribe that receives funding under this Act to submit to the Secretary a plan to implement a quality assurance program that covers all federally assisted residential efficiency retrofit work administered, supervised, or sponsored by the state or Indian tribe. 
Sets forth provisions concerning the treatment of rebates for tax purposes (excluded from taxable income).


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-04-23
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
action_date: 2012-03-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2012-03-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2012-03-21
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2012-03-21
text: Introduced in House