TASK DEFINITION: In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.
PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Design Services Act of 
2014''.

SEC. 2. ARCHITECT LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

    Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (42 
U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:

``SEC. 5322. ARCHITECT LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary may establish and carry out a 
loan repayment program for eligible architects (in this section 
referred to as the `loan repayment program') who provide eligible 
design services on behalf of a Community Design Center.
    ``(b) Contract.--To be eligible to participate in the loan 
repayment program, an eligible architect shall enter into a written 
contract with the Secretary that contains--
            ``(1) an agreement under which--
                    ``(A) the eligible architect agrees to provide 
                eligible design services on behalf of a Community 
                Design Center for a period of not shorter than 1 year; 
                and
                    ``(B) the Secretary agrees to make payments on the 
                principal and interest of qualifying educational loans 
                of the eligible architect in an amount to be determined 
                by the Secretary for the period of time the eligible 
                architect provides such eligible design services;
            ``(2) a provision that any financial obligation of the 
        United States arising out of a contract entered into under this 
        subsection and any obligation of the eligible architect which 
        is conditioned thereon, is contingent upon funds being 
        appropriated for the loan repayment program under this section; 
        and
            ``(3) a statement of the damages to which the United States 
        is entitled under subsection (f) if the eligible architect 
        breaches the contract.
    ``(c) Eligible Design Services.--The term `eligible design 
services' means research or design services as follows:
            ``(1) The design, including the preparation of construction 
        documents, of housing facilities, schools, health clinics, 
        libraries, community centers, and other public facilities 
        (except for buildings used for the general conduct of 
        government).
            ``(2) The development of comprehensive long-range community 
        development plans.
            ``(3) The development of plans for neighborhoods that are 
        appropriate for rehabilitation or conservation activities, 
        including neighborhoods that are blighted, deteriorated, or 
        deteriorating.
            ``(4) The preservation or rehabilitation of historic sites.
            ``(5) The design, including the preparation of construction 
        documents, of building retrofits for energy and water 
        efficiency and conservation improvements.
            ``(6) Assessment of the safety of structures that are in 
        disrepair or have been damaged as the result of natural or 
        manmade disasters.
            ``(7) The design of improvements that remove architectural 
        barriers which restrict the mobility of elderly individuals and 
        individuals with disabilities.
            ``(8) Plans for the redevelopment of traditional main 
        streets and business districts.
            ``(9) Other activities as the Secretary may determine.
    ``(d) Application.--The Secretary shall provide for an eligible 
architect to submit an application to participate in the loan repayment 
program to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Secretary may require which shall include--
            ``(1) proof of employment by a Community Design Center for 
        a period of not less than 1 year;
            ``(2) a statement of the amount of compensation the 
        eligible architect will receive from the Community Design 
        Center; and
            ``(3) a contract entered into pursuant to subsection (b).
    ``(e) Selection.--The Secretary shall select, from applications 
submitted under subsection (d), eligible architects to participate in 
the loan repayment program.
    ``(f) Administration.--
            ``(1) Contracting authority.--The Secretary may enter into 
        a contract with another Federal agency to assist in the 
        administration of this program.
            ``(2) Breach.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A contract described in 
                subsection (b) shall provide remedies for any breach of 
                such contract by an eligible architect, including 
                repayment or partial repayment of financial assistance 
                received with interest.
                    ``(B) Amounts recovered.--Funds recovered under 
                this paragraph shall be credited to the account 
                available to carry out this section and shall remain 
                available until expended.
                    ``(C) Waiver.--The Secretary may grant a waiver of 
                any repayment obligation for breach of contract in the 
                event of extreme hardship or extreme need, as 
                determined by the Secretary.
            ``(3) Amount.--The Secretary shall develop regulations to 
        determine the amount of loan repayment for 1 year of service by 
        an eligible architect. In making the determination, the 
        Secretary shall maximize the number of contracts that can be 
        provided under the program from the amounts appropriated for 
        such contracts.
            ``(4) Qualifying educational loans.--Loan repayments 
        provided under this section may consist of payments on behalf 
        of eligible architects of the principal and interest on 
        government and commercial loans received by the eligible 
        architect for attendance at an accredited masters program in 
        architecture, which loans were made for--
                    ``(A) tuition expenses;
                    ``(B) all other reasonable educational expenses, 
                including fees, books, technology, and studio expenses 
                incurred by the eligible architect; or
                    ``(C) reasonable living expenses as determined by 
                the Secretary.
            ``(5) Repayment schedule.--The Secretary may contract with 
        an eligible architect's loan provider for the payment to the 
        loan provider, on behalf of the eligible architect, of the 
        amount of a loan repayment described in paragraph (3).
    ``(g) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
allow a Community Design Center to prepare building plans or 
construction documents that do not comply with applicable State and 
local laws and regulations related to building codes and permits.
    ``(h) Definitions.--In this section the following definitions shall 
apply:
            ``(1) Community design center.--The term `Community Design 
        Center' means a non-profit organization operated and managed by 
        a licensed architect that conducts research and provides 
        eligible design services for community development projects.
            ``(2) Eligible architect.--The term `eligible architect' 
        means an individual who--
                    ``(A) has completed an accredited masters program 
                in architecture; or
                    ``(B) is an intern architect who has completed an 
                accredited masters program in architecture and is 
                enrolled in the Intern Development Program of the 
                National Council of Architectural Registration Boards.
            ``(3) State.--The term `State' means each of the several 
        States, the District of Columbia, and any territory or 
        possession of the United States.
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for carrying out this section such sums as may be 
necessary, to remain available until expended.''.

SOLUTION: National Design Services Act of 2014 - Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish a loan repayment program for eligible architects who provide certain design services on behalf of a Community Design Center (a non-profit organization operated and managed by a licensed architect that conducts research and provides design services for community development projects). Requires an eligible architect, in order to participate in the loan repayment program, to enter into a written contract with the Secretary that contains:   an agreement under which: (1) the architect agrees to provide eligible design services on behalf of a Community Design Center for at least one year, and (2) the Secretary agrees to pay the principal and interest of the architect's qualifying educational loans for the period of time the architect provides such services; a provision that any U.S. financial obligation arising out of the contract, and any obligation of the architect, is contingent upon appropriations for the loan repayment program; and a statement of the damages to which the United States is entitled if the eligible architect breaches the contract. 

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Ratepayer Fairness Act of 2015''.

SEC. 2. CROSS-SUBSIDIZATION OF CUSTOMER-SIDE TECHNOLOGY.

    (a) Consideration of Impact From Cross-Subsidization of Customer-
Side Technology.--Section 111(d) of the Public Utility Regulatory 
Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2621(d)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
            ``(20) Consideration of impact from cross-subsidization of 
        customer-side technology.--
                    ``(A) Definition of customer-side technology.--In 
                this paragraph, the term `customer-side technology' 
                means a device connected to the electricity 
                distribution system--
                            ``(i) at, or on the customer side of, the 
                        meter; or
                            ``(ii) that, if owned or operated by, or on 
                        behalf of, an electric utility, would otherwise 
                        be at, or on the customer side of, the meter.
                    ``(B) Consideration.--Each State regulatory 
                authority (with respect to each electric utility for 
                which it has ratemaking authority) and each 
                nonregulated electric utility shall consider, to the 
                extent a State regulatory authority or nonregulated 
                electric utility allows rates charged by any electric 
                utility to include any cost, fee, or charge that 
                directly or indirectly subsidizes the deployment, 
                construction, maintenance, or operation of customer-
                side technology, whether subsidizing the deployment, 
                construction, maintenance, or operation of a customer-
                side technology would--
                            ``(i) result in benefits predominately 
                        enjoyed by only the users of the customer-side 
                        technology;
                            ``(ii) shift costs of a customer-side 
                        technology to electricity consumers that do not 
                        use the customer-side technology, particularly 
                        in cases in which disparate economic or 
                        resource conditions exist among the electricity 
                        consumers cross-subsidizing the customer-side 
                        technology;
                            ``(iii) negatively affect resource 
                        utilization, fuel diversity, grid reliability, 
                        or grid security;
                            ``(iv) provide any unfair competitive 
                        advantage to market the customer-side 
                        technology, including an analysis of whether 
                        the State regulatory authority or other State 
                        authority has uncovered any fraudulent 
                        customer-side technology marketing practices 
                        within the State; and
                            ``(v) be necessary to fulfill an obligation 
                        to serve electric consumers.
                    ``(C) Public notice.--At least 90 days before the 
                date on which a State regulatory authority or 
                nonregulated electric utility holds a proceeding that 
                would consider the cross-subsidization of a customer-
                side technology, the State regulatory authority or 
                nonregulated electric utility shall make available to 
                the public the results of the evaluation conducted 
                under subparagraph (B).''.
    (b) Compliance.--
            (1) Time limitations.--Section 112(b) of the Public Utility 
        Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2622(b)) is amended 
        by adding at the end the following:
            ``(7)(A) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
        of this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with 
        respect to each electric utility for which it has ratemaking 
        authority), and each nonregulated electric utility shall, with 
        respect to the standard established by paragraph (20) of 
        section 111(d)--
                    ``(i) commence the consideration referred to in 
                section 111; or
                    ``(ii) set a hearing date for the consideration.
            ``(B) Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
        this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with respect 
        to each electric utility for which it has ratemaking 
        authority), and each nonregulated electric utility, shall--
                    ``(i) complete the consideration required under 
                subparagraph (A); and
                    ``(ii) make the determination referred to in 
                section 111 with respect to the standard established by 
                paragraph (20) of section 111(d).''.
            (2) Failure to comply.--Section 112(c) of the Public 
        Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2622(c)) is 
        amended by adding at the end the following: ``In the case of 
        the standard established by paragraph (20) of section 111(d), 
        the reference contained in this subsection to the date of 
        enactment of this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
        date of enactment of that paragraph.''.

SOLUTION: Ratepayer Fairness Act of 2015  This bill amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to require a state regulatory authority and a nonregulated electric utility (entities), to the extent that they allow electric utility rates to include charges that subsidize customer-side technology, to consider whether that subsidy would:  result in benefits predominately enjoyed by only the users of the customer-side technology; shift costs of a customer-side technology to electricity consumers that do not use it, particularly in cases in which disparate economic or resource conditions exist among the electricity consumers cross-subsidizing the customer-side technology; negatively affect resource utilization, fuel diversity, grid reliability, or grid security; give any unfair competitive advantage to market the customer-side technology, including an analysis of whether a state regulatory authority has uncovered fraudulent customer-side technology marketing practices; and be necessary to fulfill an obligation to serve electric consumers.   The bill sets deadlines within which the entities must set a hearing date to consider and subsequently determine the subsidization of customer-side technology.

PROBLEM: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Preexisting Condition Patient 
Protection Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds as follows:
            (1) According to the United States Census Bureau, 45.7 
        million people were uninsured in 2007.
            (2) According to a recent study by the Commonwealth Fund, 
        the number of underinsured adults aged 19 to 64 has jumped 60 
        percent over the last 4 years, from 16,000,000 in 2003 to 
        25,000,000 in 2007.
            (3) According to the Centers for Disease Control and 
        Prevention (CDC), approximately 45 percent of Americans have at 
        least one chronic condition.
            (4) Forty-four States currently allow insurance companies 
        to deny coverage for, limit coverage for, or charge increased 
        premiums for a preexisting condition.
            (5) Over 26 million people were enrolled in private 
        individual market health plans in 2007. Under the Health 
        Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), 
        these individuals have no protections against pre-existing 
        condition exclusions or waiting periods.
            (6) When a child or adult has a 63-day gap in insurance 
        coverage, pre-existing condition exclusions, such as limiting 
        coverage or instituting a waiting period, can be placed on them 
        when they become insured under a new health insurance policy.
            (7) Eliminating pre-existing condition exclusions for all 
        is a vital safeguard to ensuring that all Americans have access 
        to health care when in need.
            (8) According to a Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School 
        of Public Health public opinion poll, 58 percent of Americans 
        strongly favor the Federal Government requiring health 
        insurance companies to cover anyone who applies for health 
        coverage, even if they have a prior illness.

SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS RELATING TO PREEXISTING CONDITION EXCLUSIONS UNDER 
              GROUP HEALTH PLANS.

    (a) Amendments to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 
1974.--
            (1) Elimination of preexisting condition exclusions.--
        Section 701 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 
        1974 (29 U.S.C. 1181) is amended--
                    (A) by amending the heading to read as follows: 
                ``elimination of preexisting condition exclusions'';
                    (B) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
    ``(a) In General.--A group health plan, and a health insurance 
issuer offering group health insurance coverage, with respect to a 
participant or beneficiary--
            ``(1) may not impose any preexisting condition exclusion; 
        and
            ``(2) in the case of a group health plan that offers 
        medical care through health insurance coverage offered by a 
        health maintenance organization, may not provide for an 
        affiliation period with respect to coverage through the 
        organization.'';
                    (C) in subsection (b), by striking paragraph (3) 
                and inserting the following:
            ``(3) Affiliation period.--The term `affiliation period' 
        means a period which, under the terms of the health insurance 
        coverage offered by the health maintenance organization, must 
        expire before the health insurance coverage becomes 
        effective.'';
                    (D) by striking subsections (c), (d), (e), and (g); 
                and
                    (E) by redesignating subsection (f) (relating to 
                special enrollment periods) as subsection (c).
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The item in the table of contents 
        of such Act relating to section 701 is amended to read as 
        follows:

``Sec. 701. Elimination of preexisting condition exclusions.''.
    (b) Amendments to the Public Health Service Act.--
            (1) In general.--Section 2701 of the Public Health Service 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg) is amended--
                    (A) by amending the heading to read as follows: 
                ``elimination of preexisting condition exclusions'';
                    (B) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
    ``(a) In General.--A group health plan, and a health insurance 
issuer offering group health insurance coverage, with respect to a 
participant or beneficiary--
            ``(1) may not impose any preexisting condition exclusion; 
        and
            ``(2) in the case of a group health plan that offers 
        medical care through health insurance coverage offered by a 
        health maintenance organization, may not provide for an 
        affiliation period with respect to coverage through the 
        organization.'';
                    (C) in subsection (b), by striking paragraph (3) 
                and inserting the following:
            ``(3) Affiliation period.--The term `affiliation period' 
        means a period which, under the terms of the health insurance 
        coverage offered by the health maintenance organization, must 
        expire before the health insurance coverage becomes 
        effective.'';
                    (D) by striking subsections (c), (d), (e), and (g); 
                and
                    (E) by redesignating subsection (f) (relating to 
                special enrollment periods) as subsection (c).
            (2) Technical amendments relating to employer size.--
        Section 2711 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 300gg-11) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a)--
                            (i) in the heading, by striking ``Small'';
                            (ii) in paragraph (1)--
                                    (I) in the matter before 
                                subparagraph (A), by striking ``(c) 
                                through (f)'' and inserting ``(b) 
                                through (d)'' and by striking 
                                ``small''; and
                                    (II) in subparagraph (A), by 
                                striking ``small employer (as defined 
                                in section 2791(e)(4))'' and inserting 
                                ``employer''; and
                            (iii) in paragraph (2)--
                                    (I) by striking ``small'' each 
                                place it appears; and
                                    (II) by striking ``coverage to a'' 
                                and inserting ``coverage to an'';
                    (B) by striking subsection (b);
                    (C) in subsections (c), (d), and (e), by striking 
                ``small'' each place it appears; and
                    (D) by striking subsection (f).
    (c) Amendments to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.--
            (1) Elimination of preexisting condition exclusions.--
        Section 9801 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended--
                    (A) by amending the heading to read as follows: 
                ``elimination of preexisting condition exclusions'';
                    (B) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
    ``(a) In General.--A group health plan with respect to a 
participant or beneficiary may not impose any preexisting condition 
exclusion.'';
                    (C) by striking paragraph (3) of subsection (b);
                    (D) by striking subsections (c), (d), and (e); and
                    (E) by redesignating subsection (f) (relating to 
                special enrollment periods) as subsection (c).
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The item in the table of sections 
        of chapter 100 of such Code relating to section 9801 is amended 
        to read as follows:

``Sec. 9801. Elimination of preexisting condition exclusions.''.
    (d) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to 
        group health plans for plan years beginning after the end of 
        the 12th calendar month following the date of the enactment of 
        this Act.
            (2) Special rule for collective bargaining agreements.--In 
        the case of a group health plan maintained pursuant to one or 
        more collective bargaining agreements between employee 
        representatives and one or more employers ratified before the 
        date of the enactment of this Act, the amendments made by this 
        section shall not apply to plan years beginning before the 
        later of--
                    (A) the date on which the last of the collective 
                bargaining agreements relating to the plan terminates 
                (determined without regard to any extension thereof 
                agreed to after the date of the enactment of this Act), 
                or
                    (B) the date that is after the end of the 12th 
                calendar month following the date of the enactment of 
                this Act.
        For purposes of subparagraph (A), any plan amendment made 
        pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement relating to the 
        plan which amends the plan solely to conform to any requirement 
        added by the amendments made by this section shall not be 
        treated as a termination of such collective bargaining 
        agreement.

SEC. 4. PROHIBITION OF PREEXISTING CONDITION EXCLUSIONS IN HEALTH 
              INSURANCE COVERAGE IN THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET.

    (a) In General.--Section 2741 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 300gg-41) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ``with respect to an 
        eligible individual'' and all that follows and inserting the 
        following: ``with respect to--
                    ``(A) an eligible individual (as defined in 
                subsection (b)) desiring to enroll in individual health 
                insurance coverage decline to offer such coverage to, 
                or deny enrollment of, such individual; and
                    ``(B) any individual desiring to enroll in such 
                coverage impose any preexisting condition exclusion (as 
                defined in section 2701(b)(1)(A)) with respect to such 
                coverage.''; and
            (2) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ``paragraph (1)'' and 
        inserting ``paragraph (1)(A)''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to health insurance coverage offered, sold, issued, 
renewed, in effect, or operated in the individual market on or after 
the end of the 12th month following the date of the enactment of this 
Act.

SEC. 5. TRANSPARENCY IN CLAIMS DATA.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall 
submit to Congress a report on the impact of this Act on health 
benefits coverage.
    (b) Examination of Claims Experience and Other Data.--In preparing 
the report under subsection (a), the Secretary may request from group 
health plans and health insurance issuers--
            (1) data on claims experience under the plan or health 
        insurance coverage issued by such issuers, such as the number, 
        nature, and dollar amount of claims made by enrollees during 
        the period involved;
            (2) data relating to enrollees in the plan or under such 
        coverage, such as number of new enrollees, number of 
        individuals reenrolling (or discontinuing enrollment) after the 
        first year of coverage, and changes in the demographic 
        composition of enrollees; and
            (3) such other information as the Secretary deems 
        appropriate.
The provisions of section 2722(b) of the Public Health Service Act 
shall apply to a failure of a group health plan or health insurance 
issuer to provide data or information requested by the Secretary under 
this subsection in the same manner as such provisions apply to the 
enforcement of a provision of part A of title XXVIII of such Act, 
except that any reference to an individual in paragraph (1)(C)(i) of 
such section shall be deemed for this purpose a reference to a covered 
life under the plan or health insurance coverage involved.

SEC. 6. GAO REPORT.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a 
report on the impact of this Act (and other Federal laws regarding the 
regulation of health insurance and health benefits coverage) on the 
reduction in the number of uninsured and underinsured individuals in 
the group market and the individual market and on the affordability of 
coverage in such markets.

SOLUTION:
Preexisting Condition Patient Protection Act of 2009 - Amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the Public Health Service Act, and the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit a group health plan from: (1) imposing any preexisting condition exclusion; or (2) providing for an affiliation period for coverage offered by a health maintenance organization (HMO). Defines an "affiliation period" as a period of time before health insurance coverage becomes effective.

Requires each health insurance issuer offering coverage in the group market in a state to accept every employer in the state that applies for such coverage.

Prohibits preexisting condition exclusions for individual health insurance coverage.

Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report to Congress on the impact of this Act on health benefits coverage. Authorizes the Secretary to request claims data, enrollee data, and other appropriate information from group health plans and health insurance issuers.

Directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress on the impact of this Act and other relevant federal laws on the reduction in the number of uninsured and underinsured individuals and on the affordability of coverage.