((a)) ** Prohibition** Assistance under any rural development program administered by the Secretary or any agency of the Department of Agriculture shall not be conditioned on any requirement that the recipient of the assistance accept or receive electric service from any particular utility, supplier, or cooperative.
((b)) ** Ensuring compliance** The Secretary shall establish, by regulation, adequate safeguards to ensure that assistance under any rural development program is not subject to such a condition. The safeguards shall include periodic certifications and audits, and appropriate measures and sanctions against any person violating, or attempting to violate subsection (a).
((c)) ** “Rural development programs” defined** In this section, the term “rural development program” means the following:
((1)) Sections 304(b), 306, 306A, 306C, 306D, 310B, and 375 and subtitle E [ et seq.] of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (, 1926, 1926a, 1926c, 1926d, and 1932).
((2)) Subtitle G of title XVI and sections 2281 [], 2333, and 2381 [, 3125b] of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990.
((3)) Subtitle C of title IX of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act Amendments of 1991 (; note).
((4)) Section 1323(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (; note).
((5)) Title V [ et seq.] and section 603(c) [] of the Rural Development Act of 1972.
((6)) Sections 905 and 940a of this title and subchapter IV of this chapter.
((d)) ** Regulations** Not later than 60 days after , the Secretary shall issue final regulations to ensure compliance with subsection (a).April 4, 19961996-04-04