text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Home Energy Conservation Act of 
  2010''.
  
  SEC. 2. HOME ENERGY CONSERVATION BONDS.
  
      (a) In General.--Subpart I of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
  of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by adding at the end 
  the following new section:
  
  ``SEC. 54G. HOME ENERGY CONSERVATION BONDS.
  
      ``(a) Home Energy Conservation Bond.--For purposes of this 
  subchapter, the term `home energy conservation bond' means any bond 
  issued as part of an issue if--
              ``(1) 100 percent of the available project proceeds of such 
          issue are to be used to make qualified residential energy 
          efficiency assistance grants and loans,
              ``(2) not less than 20 percent of the available project 
          proceeds of such issue are to be used to make qualified low-
          income residential energy efficiency assistance grants and 
          loans,
              ``(3) not less than 10 percent of the available project 
          proceeds of such issue are to be used to make qualified very 
          low-income residential energy efficiency assistance grants,
              ``(4) repayments of principal and applicable interest on 
          financing provided by the issue are used not later than the 
          close of the 3-month period beginning on the date the 
          prepayment (or complete repayment) is received to redeem bonds 
          which are part of the issue or to make qualified residential 
          energy efficiency assistance grants and loans,
              ``(5) the bond is issued by a State or local government, 
          and
              ``(6) the issuer designates such bond for purposes of this 
          section.
      ``(b) Limitation on Amount of Bonds Designated.--The maximum 
  aggregate face amount of bonds which may be designated under subsection 
  (a) by any issuer shall not exceed the limitation amount allocated 
  under subsection (d) to such issuer.
      ``(c) National Limitation on Amount of Bonds Designated.--There is 
  a national home energy conservation bond limitation of $2,400,000,000.
      ``(d) Allocations.--
              ``(1) In general.--The limitation under subsection (c) 
          shall be allocated by the Secretary among the States in 
          proportion to the population of the States.
              ``(2) Allocations to largest local governments.--
                      ``(A) In general.--In the case of any State in 
                  which there is a large local government, each such 
                  local government shall be allocated a portion of such 
                  State's allocation which bears the same ratio to the 
                  State's allocation (determined without regard to this 
                  subparagraph) as the population of such large local 
                  government bears to the population of such State.
                      ``(B) Allocation of unused limitation to state.--
                  The amount allocated under this subsection to a large 
                  local government may be reallocated by such local 
                  government to the State in which such local government 
                  is located.
                      ``(C) Large local government.--For purposes of this 
                  section, the term `large local government' means any 
                  municipality or county if such municipality or county 
                  has a population of 500,000 or more.
      ``(e) Qualified Residential Energy Efficiency Assistance Grants and 
  Loans.--For purposes of this section--
              ``(1) In general.--Qualified residential energy efficiency 
          assistance grants and loans are any grant or low-interest loan, 
          as the case may be, to acquire (including reasonable 
          installation and testing costs) any of the following:
                      ``(A) Any property which meets (at a minimum) the 
                  requirements of the Energy Star program and which is to 
                  be installed in a dwelling unit.
                      ``(B) Any property not described in subparagraph 
                  (A) which meets (at a minimum) the requirements of the 
                  Water Sense program and which is to be installed in a 
                  dwelling unit.
                      ``(C) Any improvements to a dwelling unit which are 
                  made pursuant to a plan which--
                              ``(i) is developed by a Residential Energy 
                          Services Network (RESNET), Building Performance 
                          Institute (BPI), or equivalent, energy 
                          efficiency expert, and
                              ``(ii) is certified by such energy 
                          efficiency expert (based on testing done before 
                          and after such improvements) as resulting in at 
                          least a 20 percent reduction in total household 
                          energy consumption related to heating, cooling, 
                          lighting, and appliances.
                  For purposes of this subparagraph, improvements to a 
                  dwelling unit for basic health and safety may be taken 
                  into account to the extent that such improvements do 
                  not exceed 10 percent of the value of the grant or loan 
                  and are required under State or local law as a 
                  condition of making the other improvement described in 
                  this subparagraph.
              ``(2) Dollar limitations.--
                      ``(A) Dwelling unit improvements.--
                              ``(i) In general.--Such term shall not 
                          include any grant or loan for improvements 
                          described in paragraph (1)(C) with respect to 
                          any dwelling unit to the extent that such grant 
                          or loan (when added to all other grants or 
                          loans for such improvements) exceeds $5,000.
                              ``(ii) Increased limitation for certain 
                          principal residences.--In the case of a 
                          dwelling unit which is used as a principal 
                          residence (within the meaning of section 121) 
                          by the recipient of the grant or loan referred 
                          to in clause (i)--
                                      ``(I) clause (i) shall be applied 
                                  by substituting `$12,000' for `$5,000' 
                                  if such grant or loan would satisfy the 
                                  requirements of paragraph (1)(C) if 
                                  such paragraph were applied by 
                                  substituting `40 percent' for `20 
                                  percent', and
                                      ``(II) in any case to which 
                                  subclause (I) does not apply, clause 
                                  (i) shall be applied by substituting 
                                  `$8,000' for `$5,000' if such grant or 
                                  loan would satisfy the requirements of 
                                  paragraph (1)(C) if such paragraph were 
                                  applied by substituting `30 percent' 
                                  for `20 percent'.
                              ``(iii) Increased limitation for cash 
                          positive loans.--In the case of a dwelling unit 
                          which is used as a principal residence (within 
                          the meaning of section 121) by the recipient of 
                          a loan with respect to which the reduced energy 
                          costs which result from the improvements 
                          described in paragraph (1)(C) exceed the 
                          payments required under the terms of the loan--
                                      ``(I) clause (i) shall be applied 
                                  by substituting `$12,000' for `$5,000', 
                                  and
                                      ``(II) clause (ii) shall not apply.
                      ``(B) Reduction in water consumption.--Such term 
                  shall not include any grant or loan for property 
                  described in paragraph (1)(B) with respect to any 
                  dwelling unit to the extent that such grant or loan 
                  (when added to all other grants or loans for such 
                  property) exceeds $500.
              ``(3) Low-interest loan.--The term `low interest loan' 
          means any loan which charges interest at a rate which does not 
          exceed the applicable Federal rate in effect under section 
          1288(b)(1) determined as of the issuance of the loan.
              ``(4) Exclusion of certain property.--The following 
          property shall not be taken into account for purposes of 
          paragraph (1):
                      ``(A) Any equipment used in connection with a 
                  swimming pool, hot tub, or similar property.
                      ``(B) Any television.
                      ``(C) Any device for converting digital signal to 
                  analog.
                      ``(D) Any DVD player.
                      ``(E) Any video cassette recorder (VCR).
                      ``(F) Any audio equipment.
                      ``(G) Any cordless phone.
                      ``(H) Any other item of property where there is 
                  substantial recreational use.
      ``(f) Qualified Low-Income Residential Efficiency Assistance Grants 
  and Loans.--
              ``(1) In general.--Qualified low-income residential energy 
          efficiency assistance grants and loans are any qualified 
          residential energy efficiency assistance grant or loan, as the 
          case may be, with respect to a dwelling unit which is occupied 
          (at the time of the grant or loan) by individuals whose income 
          is 100 percent or less of area median gross income. Rules 
          similar to the rules of section 142(d)(2)(B) shall apply for 
          purposes of this paragraph.
              ``(2) Restriction to grants and very low interest loans.--
          Such term shall not include any loan unless the rate of 
          interest on such loan does not exceed the excess of--
                      ``(A) the applicable Federal rate in effect under 
                  section 1288(b)(1) determined as of the issuance of the 
                  loan, over
                      ``(B) 100 basis points.
      ``(g) Qualified Very Low-Income Residential Efficiency Assistance 
  Grants.--For purposes of this section, qualified very low-income 
  residential energy efficiency assistance grants are any qualified low-
  income residential energy efficiency assistance grant with respect to a 
  dwelling unit which is occupied (at the time of the grant) by 
  individuals whose income is 50 percent or less of area median gross 
  income. Rules similar to the rules of section 142(d)(2)(B) shall apply 
  for purposes of this paragraph.
      ``(h) Definitions and Special Rules.--For purposes of this 
  section--
              ``(1) Applicable interest.--The term `applicable interest' 
          means, with respect to any loan, so much of any interest on 
          such loan which exceeds 1 percentage point.
              ``(2) Special rule relating to arbitrage.--An issue shall 
          not be treated as failing to meet the requirements of section 
          54A(d)(4)(A) by reason of any investment of available project 
          proceeds in qualified residential energy efficiency assistance 
          loans.
              ``(3) Exclusion of administrative expenses.--The amount 
          treated as used to make any grant or loan described in this 
          section shall not exceed the amount of such grant or loan.
              ``(4) Population.--The population of any State or local 
          government shall be determined as provided in section 146(j) 
          for the calendar year which includes the date of the enactment 
          of this section.
              ``(5) Reporting.--
                      ``(A) Reports by issuers.--Issuers of home energy 
                  conservation bonds shall, not later than 6 months after 
                  the expenditure period (as defined in section 54A) and 
                  annually thereafter until the last such bond is 
                  redeemed, submit reports to the Secretary regarding 
                  such bonds, including information regarding--
                              ``(i) the number and monetary value of 
                          loans and grants provided and the purposes for 
                          which provided,
                              ``(ii) the number of dwelling units the 
                          energy efficiency of which improved as result 
                          of such loans and grants,
                              ``(iii) the types of property described in 
                          subparagraphs (A) and (B) of subsection (e)(1) 
                          installed as a result of such loans and grants 
                          and the projected energy savings with respect 
                          to such property, and
                              ``(iv) the projected energy savings as a 
                          result of such loans and grants for 
                          improvements described in subsection (e)(1)(C).
                      ``(B) Report to congress.--Not later than 12 months 
                  after receipt of the first report under subparagraph 
                  (A) and annually thereafter until the last such report 
                  is required to be submitted, the Secretary, in 
                  consultation with the Secretary of Energy and the 
                  Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, 
                  shall submit a report to Congress regarding the bond 
                  program under this section, including information 
                  regarding--
                              ``(i) the aggregate of each category of 
                          information described in subparagraph (A) 
                          (including any independent assessment of 
                          projected energy savings), and
                              ``(ii) an estimate of the amount of 
                          greenhouse gas emissions reduced as a result of 
                          such bond program.''.
      (b) Treatment as a Specified Tax Credit Bond for Purposes of Direct 
  Payment Provisions.--Subparagraph (A) of section 6431(f)(3) of such 
  Code is amended by striking ``or'' at the end of clause (iii), by 
  striking ``and'' at the end of clause (iv) and inserting ``or'', and by 
  adding at the end the following new clause:
                              ``(v) a home energy conservation bond (as 
                          defined in section 54G), and''.
      (c) Conforming Amendments.--
              (1) Paragraph (1) of section 54A(d) of such Code is amended 
          by striking ``or'' at the end of subparagraph (D), by inserting 
          ``or'' at the end of subparagraph (E), and by inserting after 
          subparagraph (E) the following new subparagraph:
                      ``(F) a home energy conservation bond,''.
              (2) Subparagraph (C) of section 54A(d)(2) of such Code is 
          amended by striking ``and'' at the end of clause (iv), by 
          striking the period at the end of clause (v) and inserting ``, 
          and'', and by adding at the end the following new clause:
                              ``(vi) in the case of a home energy 
                          conservation bond, a purpose specified in 
                          section 54G(a)(1).''.
              (3) The table of sections for subpart I of part IV of 
          subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by adding at 
          the end the following new item:
  
  ``Sec. 54G. Home energy conservation bonds.''.
      (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
  apply to obligations issued after the date of the enactment of this 
  Act.
target: Home Energy Conservation Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow the issuance of tax-exempt home energy conservation bonds to finance qualified residential energy efficiency assistance grants and loans and extend such grants and loans to low and very-low income taxpayers. Imposes a national home energy conservation bond limitation amount of $2.4 billion and allocates such amount to states in proportion to state population.
  
  Defines "qualified residential energy efficiency assistance grants and loans" as any grant or loan to acquire: (1) any property which meets (at a minimum) the requirements of the Energy Star program or the Water Sense program and which is to be installed in a dwelling unit; and (2) any improvement to a dwelling unit made under a plan which is developed by a Residential Energy Services Network, Building Performance Institute, or equivalent energy efficiency expert and is certified by such expert as resulting in at least a 20% reduction in total household energy consumption related to heating, cooling, lighting, and appliances.
  
   Imposes dollar limitations on such grants and loans and excludes certain types of property from such grant and loan program, including equipment used in connection with a swimming pool or hot tub, any television, any device for converting a digital signal to analog, any DVD player, video cassette recorder, audio equipment, cordless phone, or other property where there is a substantial recreational use.
feat_title: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide for home energy conservation bonds.