An Act To Add a Fuel Oil Benefit to the Circuitbreaker Program
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0313
Committee: Taxation
Sponsors: TUTTLE, BARTLETT, ADAMS, BERRY, BUTTERFIELD, PINGREE, PIOTTI, TREAT, TRINWARD, BRYANT
Amends: 36 MRSA §6201, 36 MRSA §6201-A, 36 MRSA §6210, 36 MRSA §6218, 36 MRSA §6219, 36 MRSA §6220

Legislative Document 
No. 313 
H.P.249 
House of Representatives, Febmary 2,2009 
An Act To Add a Fuel Oil Benefit to the Circuitbreaker Program 
Reference to the Committee on Taxation suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative TUTTLE of Sanford. 
Cosponsored by Senator BARTLETT of Cumberland and 
7l/dJ~ 1/1. 7llt1£;:f~{ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: ADAMS ofPOliland, BERRY of Bowdoinham, BUTTERFIELD of Bangor, 
Speaker PINGREE of North Haven, PIOTTI of Unity, TREAT of Hallowell, TRINWARD of 
Waterville, Senator: BRYANT of Oxford. 
Printed on recycled p:.tpcr 
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Be it enacted by the People ofthe State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §6201, sub-§l, as amended by PL 2007, c. 700, Pt. A, §1, is 
further amended to read: 
1. Benefit base. "Benefit base" means property taxes accrued or rent constituting 
property taxes accrued plus 50% of heating fuel costs. In the case of a claimant paying 
both rent and property taxes for a homestead, ~benefit base~ means both property taxes 
accrued and rent constituting property taxes accrued. 
The benefit base may not exceed 
$3,350 for single-member households and $4,400 for households with 2 or more 
members. 
Sec. 2. 36 MRSA §6201, sub-§4-A is enacted to read: 
4-A. Heating fuel costs. "Heating fuel costs" means the amount billed to a claimant 
during the calendar year preceding that in which a claim is filed for the cost of petroleum-
based fuel used predominantly for: 
A. Heating or cooling a homestead; and 
B. Heating water for residential use by residents of a homestead. 
Sec. 3. 36 MRSA §6201-A, as amended by PL 2005, c. 618, §18, is further 
amended to read: 
§6201-A. Short title 
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This chapter may be mown and may be cited as the "Maine Residents Property Tax 
and Heating Fuel Program" and may be referred to as "the Circuitbreaker Program." 
Sec. 4. 36 MRSA §6210, 2nd~, as amended by PL 2005, c. 218, §59, is further 
amended to read: 
The assessor shall include a checkoff to request an application for the Maine 
Residents Property Tax and Heating Fuel Program on the individual income tax form. 
The assessor shall also provide a paperless option for filing an application for the Maine 
Residents ProBert',' TaJ( Proe:ram program. 
Sec. 5. 36 MRSA §6218, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 534, Pt. A, §10, is amended to 
read: 
§6218. Readability; application; instructions 
The application form and instructions used by applicants for assistance under the 
Maine Residents Property Tax and Heating Fuel Program and its successor, if any, shall 
have a readability score, as determined by a recognized instrument for measuring adult 
literacy levels, equivalent to no higher than a 6th grade reading level. 
Sec. 6. 36 MRSA §6219, as amended by PL 1997, c. 526, §14, is further amended 
to read: 
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§6219. Outreach plan required 
The Bureau of Revenue Services shall develop and implement a plan of outreach to 
ensure that all eligible households are made aware of assistance available under the 
Maine Residents Property Tax and Heating Fuel Program and its successor, if any. 
Sec. 7. 36 MRSA §6220, as amended by PL 1997, c. 668, §40, is further amended 
to read: 
§6220. Coordination required 
The bureau shall seek the advice and cooperation of the Bureau of Elder and Adult 
Services; the Bureau of Family Independence; the 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 instruction booklet for the Maine 
Residents Property Tax and Heating Fuel Program and the outreach plan required by 
section 6219. 
Sec. 8. Maine Revised Statutes headnote amended; revision clause. In the 
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 36, chapter 907, in the chapter headnote, the words "maine 
residents property tax program" are amended to read "maine residents property tax and 
heating fuel program" and the Revisor of Statutes shall implement this revision when 
updating, publishing or republishing the statutes. 
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SUMMARY 
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This bill provides relief to homeowners and renters for the cost of petroleum-based 
heating fuel. Relief is made available as an addition to the Maine Residents Property Tax 
Program, also known as the Circuitbreaker Program, by including petroleum-based 
heating costs in the formula for calculation of circuitbreaker benefits. Under this bill 
benefits are made available to persons whose property taxes and heating costs exceed 4% 
of their income. Income eligibility levels and benefit maximums are not changed. 
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