(1) A public utility district may include along with, or as part of, its regular customer billings a request for voluntary contributions to assist qualified low-income residential customers of the district in paying their electricity bills. All funds received by the district in response to such requests shall be (a) transmitted (i) to the grantee of the department of commerce which administers federally funded energy assistance programs for the state in the district's service area or (ii) to a charitable organization within the district's service area; or (b) retained by the district. All such funds shall be used solely to supplement assistance to low-income residential customers of the district in paying their electricity bills. The grantee, charitable organization, or district is responsible to determine which of the district's customers are qualified for low-income assistance and the amount of assistance to be provided to those who are qualified.

(2) A public utility district may include with or as part of its regular customer billings, a request for voluntary contributions to assist qualified low-income residential customers of the district in paying their water and sewer bills. All funds received by the district as a result of these requests shall be transmitted to a charitable organization within the district's service area or retained by the district and distributed solely to assist qualified low-income residential customers in paying their water and sewer bills. The charitable organization or district is responsible for determining which of the district's customers are qualified to receive low-income assistance and the amount of assistance provided to qualified customers.

All assistance provided under this chapter shall be disbursed by the grantee, charitable organization, or district. When applicable, the public utility district will be paid on behalf of the customer by the grantee or the charitable organization. When direct vendor payment is not feasible, a check will be issued jointly payable to the customer and the public utility district. The availability of funds for assistance to a district's low-income customers as a result of voluntary contributions shall not reduce the amount of assistance for which the district's customers are eligible under the federally funded energy assistance programs administered by the grantee of the department of commerce within the district's service area. When applicable, the grantee or charitable organization shall provide the district with a quarterly report on January 15th, April 15th, July 15th, and October 15th which includes information concerning the total amount of funds received from the district, the names of all recipients of assistance from these funds, the amount received by each recipient, and the amount of funds received from the district currently on hand and available for future low-income assistance.

Explanatory statement—2023 c 470: See note following RCW 10.99.030.

Contributions received under a program implemented by a public utility district in compliance with this chapter shall not be considered a commingling of funds.