An Act To Establish a Circuit Breaker Program for Fuel Assistance
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0848
Committee: Business, Research and Economic Development
Sponsors: CRESSEY
Amends: 36 MRSA §620

12lst MAINE LEGISLATURE 
Legislative Document 
No. 848 
H.P.625 
House of Representatives, February 20, 2003 
An Act To Establish a Circuit Breaker Program for Fuel Assistance 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Business, Research and Economic Development suggested 
and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative CRESSEY of Baldwin. 
Printed on recycled paper 
7r/~1?1.1J?~ 
Mll..LICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Emergency preamble. Whereas. Acts of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted 
as emergencies; and 
Whereas, this legislation provides financial assistance to 
help with home heating costs; and 
Whereas, it is in the winter months that this assistance is 
crucial; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts 
create an emergency wi thin the meaning of the Constitution of 
Maine 
and 
require 
the 
following 
legislation 
as 
immediately 
necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and 
safety; now, therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. I. 30·A MRSA §4995 is enacted to read: 
§4995. 
Maine Heating Fuel Assistance Program 
The Maine Heating Fuel Assistance Program is established to 
provide reimbursement to taxpayers for heating fuel costs. 
The 
authority shall 
administer 
the 
program 
as 
provided 
in this 
subchapter. 
Reimbursement must be at 45¢ on each dollar sJ?ent 
for home heating fuel for the months of December to March. 
1. 
Definitions. 
As 
used 
in this 
section, 
unless 
the 
context 
otherwise 
indicates, 
the 
following 
terms 
have 
the 
following meanings. 
A. 
"Claimant" means a person who has filed a claim under 
this 
section, 
who 
was 
domiciled 
in 
the 
State, 
whose 
household 
income 
is within 
150% 
of 
the 
federal 
J?overty 
guidelines and who 
J?aid heating fuel costs to heat that 
domicile during the year for which relief is requested. 
If 
or 
more 
persons 
from 
the 
same 
household 
meet 
the 
qualifications under this paragraph, each person may aJ?J?ly 
on the basis of the amount of heating fuel costs J?aid by 
that person. 
2. 
Readability; application; instructions. 
The apJ?lication 
form and instructions used by claimants under this section must 
have 
a 
readability 
score, 
as 
determined 
by 
a 
recognized 
instrument for measuring adult literacy levels, equivalent to no 
higher than a grade 6 reading level. 
Page l-LR1519 (1) 
3. 
Outreach plan required. 
The authority shall develop and 
implement 
a 
plan 
of 
outreach 
to 
ensure 
that 
all 
eligible 
households are made 
aware of assistance available under this 
section. 
4. 
Coordination required. 
The authority shall seek the 
advice 
and 
cooperation of 
the 
Department of 
Human 
Services, 
Bureau of Elder and Adult Services, Bureau of Family Independence 
and Bureau of Child· and Family Services; advocates for elderly 
and low-income individuals; 
and other interested agencies 
and 
organizations in developing the application form and instructions 
for the program and the outreach plan required by subsection 3. 
Sec. 2. 36 MRSA §620S. as enacted by PL 1987, c. 516, §§3 and 
6, is repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
§6205. 
One claim per household 
One claim is allowed for a household or homestead per year 
for relief from property taxes 
under sections 
6201 
to 
6220, 
except for the provisions of section 6201, subsection 2, and an 
additional claim is allowed for a household or homestead per year 
for relief from heating fuel costs under Title 30-A, 
section 
4995, 
except for the provisions of Title 30-A, 
section 4995, 
subsection 1, paragraph B. 
Sec. 3. Retroactive application. 
The assistance provided under 
this Act applies retroactively to December 1, 2002. 
Sec. 4. Contingent effective date. 
the 
State 
receives 
additional 
targeting 
increased oil prices 
This Act takes effect only if 
federal 
funding 
specifically 
as 
a 
result 
of 
the 
war 
on 
terrorism. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of 
preamble, 
this 
Act 
takes 
effect 
the emergency cited in the 
when 
approved, 
except 
as 
otherwise indicated. 
SUMMARY 
This bill creates the Maine Heating Fuel Assistance Program 
to provide reimbursement for heating fuel costs to taxpayers. 
The Maine Heating Fuel Assistance Program is administered by the 
Maine State Housing Authority.