[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2086 Referred in House (RFH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2086


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 22, 2014

Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in 
 addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
   To address current emergency shortages of propane and other home 
 heating fuels and to provide greater flexibility and information for 
          Governors to address such emergencies in the future.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Reliable Home Heating Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO EXTEND EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS FOR PURPOSES OF 
              TEMPORARILY EXEMPTING MOTOR CARRIERS PROVIDING EMERGENCY 
              RELIEF FROM CERTAIN SAFETY REGULATIONS.

    (a) Defined Term.--In this Act, the term ``residential heating 
fuel'' includes--
            (1) heating oil;
            (2) natural gas; and
            (3) propane.
    (b) Authorization.--If the Governor of a State declares a state of 
emergency caused by a shortage of residential heating fuel and, at the 
conclusion of the initial 30-day emergency period (or a second 30-day 
emergency period authorized under this subsection), the Governor 
determines that the emergency shortage has not ended, any extension of 
such state of emergency by the Governor, up to 2 additional 30-day 
periods, shall be recognized by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration as a period during which parts 390 through 399 of 
chapter III of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, shall not apply 
to any motor carrier or driver operating a commercial motor vehicle to 
provide residential heating fuel in the geographic area so designated 
as under a state of emergency.
    (c) Rulemaking.--The Secretary of Transportation shall amend 
section 390.23(a)(1)(ii) of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to 
conform to the provision set forth in subsection (b).
    (d) Savings Provision.--Nothing in this section may be construed to 
modify the authority granted to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration's Field Administrator under section 390.23(a) of title 
49, Code of Federal Regulations, to offer temporary exemptions from 
parts 390 through 399 of such title.

SEC. 3. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.

    The Administrator of the Energy Information Administration, using 
data compiled from the Administration's Weekly Petroleum Status 
Reports, shall notify the Governor of each State in a Petroleum 
Administration for Defense District if the inventory of residential 
heating fuel within such district has been below the most recent 5-year 
average for more than 3 consecutive weeks.

SEC. 4. REVIEW.

    Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
the Secretary of Transportation shall conduct a study of, and transmit 
to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives, a report on the impacts of safety from the extensions 
issued by Governors according to this Act. In conducting the study, the 
Secretary shall review, at a minimum--
            (1) the safety implications of extending exemptions; and
            (2) a review of the exemption process to ensure clarity and 
        efficiency during emergencies.

            Passed the Senate May 21, 2014.

            Attest:

                                                NANCY ERICKSON,

                                                             Secretary.