[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1547 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1547

 To prohibit the sale of certain inefficient light bulbs, and require 
  the development of a plan for increasing the use of more efficient 
                light bulbs by consumers and businesses.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 15, 2007

  Ms. Harman introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To prohibit the sale of certain inefficient light bulbs, and require 
  the development of a plan for increasing the use of more efficient 
                light bulbs by consumers and businesses.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PROHIBITION.

    (a) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall issue regulations--
            (1) prohibiting the sale of light bulbs that emit less than 
        60 lumens per watt, effective January 1, 2012;
            (2) prohibiting the sale of light bulbs that emit less than 
        90 lumens per watt, effective January 1, 2016; and
            (3) prohibiting the sale of light bulbs that emit less than 
        120 lumens per watt, effective January 1, 2020.
    (b) Exemptions.--The regulations issued under subsection (a) shall 
include procedures for the Secretary to provide exemptions to the 
prohibition. The Secretary may provide such an exemption only in cases 
where the Secretary finds, after a hearing and opportunity for public 
comment, that it is not technically feasible to serve a specialized 
lighting application, such as a military, medical, or public safety 
application, using bulbs that meet the requirements of subsection (a). 
Exemptions provided under this subsection shall expire after 2 years. 
No exemption may be provided under this subsection for general 
illumination applications.
    (c) Civil Penalty.--The Secretary of Energy shall include in 
regulations under this section a schedule of appropriate civil 
penalties for violations of the prohibition under this section. Such 
penalties shall be in an amount sufficient to ensure compliance with 
this Act.
    (d) Definition.--For purposes of this Act, the term ``general 
illumination'' means lighting designed to provide a substantially 
uniform level of luminance throughout an area exclusive of any 
provision for special or local requirements.

SEC. 2. PLAN.

    Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Energy shall transmit to the Congress a plan for 
encouraging and providing incentives for the use of more efficient 
light bulbs by consumers and businesses.
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