Ch. 484

1997 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(ii) Be expended for replacement or repair of eligible items to the
extent that insurance proceeds are available for those purposes.

(2) A volunteer fire company or rescue squad receiving trust funds under
this section shall provide at least a 30 percent matching dollar amount for grants or loans,
as the case may be. If a volunteer fire company or rescue squad cannot reasonably provide
the required dollar match prior to disbursement of trust funds, the Board of Public Works
may waive that requirement or provide for repayment of the matching dollar amount
within a reasonable period of time not to exceed 18 months from the date of purchase of
the equipment or facilities.

(3) Funds to provide the required matching dollar amount may include
contributions from local government. However, a local government may not reduce the
amount of money that the volunteer fire company or rescue squad would otherwise be
entitled to receive from the local government because of State financial assistance
provided under this section.

(4) Financial assistance from the trust fund may not be approved if a
volunteer company has not made a good faith effort to obtain funds from its local
government.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 1997.

Approved May 8, 1997.

CHAPTER 484
(House Bill 869)

AN ACT concerning

Solar Electrical Generation - Net Energy Metering

FOR the purpose of promoting the use of solar electricity generation in the State;
defining certain terms; stating findings of the General Assembly; requiring the use
of a certain meter type for net energy metering; requiring the Public Service
Commission to develop certain contracts or tariffs for certain customer-generators
under certain circumstances; establishing certain requirements for certain net
energy metering contracts and tariffs; establishing requirements for certain billing
calculations and credits; requiring certain customer-generators to meet certain
standards; authorizing the Commission to adopt certain regulations regarding public
safety and system reliability; prohibiting certain electric companies from imposing
certain additional requirements on certain customer-generators; and generally
relating to solar electricity generation and net energy metering.

BY adding to

Article 78 - Public Service Commission Law
Section 54M

- 2822 -