An Act To Provide Funding for the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0874
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: BRYANT, ADAMS, AUSTIN, BABBIDGE, BARSTOW, BEAUDETTE, BEAUDOIN, BEAULIEU, BERRY, BLANCHARD, BLANCHETTE, BLISS, BOLAND, BRAUTIGAM, BROWNE, BURNS, CAIN, CANAVAN, CARTER, CLARK, CLEARY, CONNOR, CONOVER, CRAVEN, CROCKETT, CUMMINGS, DILL, DRISCOLL, DUCHESNE, DUNN, EATON, EBERLE, EMERY, FAIRCLOTH, FINCH, FINLEY, GERZOFSKY, GROSE, HARLOW, HASKELL, HAYES, HILL, HINCK, HOGAN, JACKSON, JACOBSEN, KAENRATH, KOFFMAN, LUNDEEN, MAKAS, MARLEY, MAZUREK, MILLER, MILLS, MIRAMANT, MUSE, NORTON, PATRICK, PEOPLES, PERCY, PERRY, PIEH, PILON, PINEAU, PINGREE, PINKHAM, PIOTTI, PLUMMER, PRATT, PRIEST, RAND, RICHARDSON, RINES, ROSEN, SAMSON, SCHATZ, SIMPSON, SIROIS, SMITH, THERIAULT, TREAT, TRINW ARD, TUTTLE, VALENTINO, WATSON, WEBSTER, WHEELER, BARTLETT, BENOIT, BOWMAN

Legislative Document 
No. 874 
H.P.663 
House of Representatives, February 23,2007 
An Act To Provide Funding for the Low-income Home Energy 
Assistance Program 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative BRYANT of Windham. 
Cosponsored by Senator BRYANT of Oxford and 
II'/~ 1?7.11!d£~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: ADAMS of Portland, AUSTIN of Gray, BABBIDGE of Kennebunk, 
BARSTOW of Gorham, BEAUDETTE of Biddeford, BEAUDOIN of Biddeford, BEAULIEU 
of Auburn, BERRY of Bowdoinham, BLANCHARD of Old Town, BLANCHETTE of 
Bangor, BLISS of South Portland, BOLAND of Sanford, BRAUTIGAM of Falmouth, 
BROWNE of Vassalboro, BURNS of Berwick, CAIN of Orono, CANAVAN of Waterville, 
CARTER of Bethel, CASAVANt of Biddeford, CLARK of Millinocket, CLEARY of 
Houlton, CONNOR of Kennebunk, CONOVER of Oakland, CRAVEN of Lewiston, CRA Y of 
Palmyra, CROCKETT of Augusta, Speaker CUMMINGS of Portland, DILL of Cape 
Elizabeth, DRISCOLL of Westbrook, DUCHESNE of Hudson, DUNN of Bangor, EATON of 
Sullivan, EBERLE of South Portland, EMERY of Cutler, FAIRCLOTH of Bangor, 
H.P.663 
L.D.874 
FARRINGTON of Gorham, FINCH of Fairfield, FINLEY of Skowhegan, GERZOFSKY of 
Brunswick, GROSE of Woolwich, HARLOW of Portland, HASKELL of Portland, HAYES of 
Buckfield, HILL of York, HINCK of Portland, HOGAN of Old Orchard Beach, JACKSON of 
Allagash, JACOBSEN of Waterboro, KAENRATH of South Portland, KOFFMAN of Bar 
Harbor, LUNDEEN of Mars Hill, MacDONALD of Boothbay, MAKAS of Lewiston, 
MARLEY of Portland, MAZUREK of Rockland, MILLER of Somerville, MILLS of 
Farmington, MIRAMANT of Camden, MUSE of Fryeburg, NORTON of Bangor, PATRICK 
of Rumford, PEOPLES of Westbrook, PERCY of Phippsburg, PERRY of Calais, PIEH of 
Bremen, PILON of Saco, PINEAU of Jay, PINGREE of North Haven, PINKHAM of 
Lexington Township, PIOTTI of Unity, PLUMMER of Windham, PRATT of Eddington, 
PRIEST of Brunswick, RAND of Portland, RICHARDSON of Greenville, RINES of 
Wiscasset, ROSEN of Bucksport, SAMSON of Auburn, SCHATZ of Blue Hill, SIMPSON of 
Auburn, SIROIS of Turner, SMITH of Monmouth, THERIAULT of Madawaska, TREAT of 
Farmingdale, TRINW ARD of Waterville, TUTTLE of Sanford, VALENTINO of Saco, 
W ALCOTT of Lewiston, WATSON of Bath, WEBSTER of Freeport, WHEELER of Kittery, 
Senators: BARTLETT of Cumberland, BENOIT of Sagadahoc, BOWMAN of York, 
BRANNIGAN of Cumberland, BROMLEY of Cumberland, COURTNEY of York, DAMON 
of Hancock, DIAMOND of Cumberland, DOW of Lincoln, President EDMONDS of 
Cumberland, GOOLEY of Franklin, HASTINGS of Oxford, HOBBINS of York, 
MARRACHE of Kennebec, MARTIN of Aroostook, MILLS of Somerset, MITCHELL of 
Kennebec, NUTTING of Androscoggin, PERRY of Penobscot, RA YE of Washington, ROSEN 
of Hancock, ROTUNDO of Androscoggin, SA V AGE of Knox, SCHNEIDER of Penobscot, 
SHERMAN of Aroostook, SNOWE-MELLO of Androscoggin, STRIMLING of Cumberland, 
SULLIV AN of York, TURNER of Cumberland, WESTON of Waldo. 
Printed on recyc led paper 
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Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, projected funding of the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program 
is not expected to increase sufficiently to offset the increased cost of heating fuel; and 
Whereas, the average benefit under the program will be inadequate to fill a 
recipient's fuel tank even one time; and 
II 
Whereas, in an average winter a fuel tank would need to be filled 3 to 5 times 
during the heating season; and 
Whereas, it is essential to the health and safety of the elderly, the disabled and the 
most vulnerable in our State that the State provide funds to help fill the gap between the 
need and the available federal resources; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
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. 1. Payments or assistance not considered income or resources for 
any purpose under state law. Notwithstanding any other provision of law unless 
enacted in express limitation of this section, the amount of any home energy assistance 
payments or allowances provided directly to, or indirectly for the benefit of, an eligible 
household under this Act may not be considered income or resources of that household or 
any member of that household for any purpose under any state law, including any law 
relating to taxation, food stamps, public assistance or welfare programs. 
Sec. 2. Use of funds; limitation. The Maine State Housing Authority shall 
expend funds provided pursuant to section 3 exclusively for fuel purchases and may not 
use those funds to support administrative expenses. 
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. 
The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
MAINE STATE HOUSING AUTHORITY 
Low-income Home Energy Assistance - MSHA 0708 
Initiative: Provides funding for the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
2007-08 
$5,000,000 
2008-09 
$0 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$5,000,000 
$0 
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes 
effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides $5,000,000 to the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program 
and specifies that the funds may be used only for fuel purchases. 
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