An Act To Improve the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 2006
Committee Amendment CA_A_H900 (House)
Amends: 30-A MRSA §4992-A

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A,, to H.P. 1492, L.D. 2006, "An Act To Improve 
the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 1 and inserting the following: 
'Sec, 1. 30-A MRSA §4992-A, sub-§6 is enacted to read: 
6. Benefits not considered income. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the 
contrary unless enacted in express limitation of this subsection, the amount of any home 
energy assistance payments or allowances provided directly to, or indirectly for the benefit 
of, a household under this section 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, to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits 
administered under Title 22, section 3104 and to public assistance or welfare programs.' 
Amend the bill in section 2 in the 2nd line (page 1, line 24 in L.D.) by inserting after 
the following: "Fund" the following: 'to be used for the purposes described in this section 
from the effective date of this Act until June 30, 2023' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 3 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 3. Unused funds. Any balance remaining of the funds provided in section 5 at 
the end of fiscal year 2022 may be carried over to fiscal year 2023 for the same purpose. 
Any balance remaining in the fund on June 30, 2023 must be returned to the General Fund.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 5 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 5. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
HOUSING AUTHORITY, MAINE STATE 
Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program Administrative Efficiency Fund 
N417 
Initiative: Provides funding for the purpose of increasing the capacity to accept and process 
applications in a timely manner. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A' to H.P. 1492, L.D. 2006 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
2021-22 
$1,000,000 
$1,000,000 
2022-23 
$0 
$0 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment clarifies a provision in the bill that states that payments and assistance 
distributed from the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program are not considered 
income for any purpose under state law, including any law relating to taxation, to 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and to public assistance or welfare 
programs, by incorporating the provision into the section of statute that directs the Maine 
State Housing Authority to administer the program. The amendment also reduces the 
appropriation to the Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program Administrative 
Efficiency Fund from $2,000,000 to $1,000,000 and specifies that balances remaining in 
the fund on June 30, 2023 must be returned to the General Fund. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/22/22 frac. 
LD 2006 
LR2548(02) 
An Act To Improve the Lowwincome Home Energy Assistance Program 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'A' CH -~(J)} 
Committee: Labor and Housing 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY2021-22 
FY2022-23 
Projections 
FY2023-24 
Projections 
FY2024-25 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Approp1·iations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
$1,000,000 
$0 
$1,000,000 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
$0 
This bill includes a one-time General Fund appropriation of $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2021-22 to a newly created Low-
:income Home Energy Assistance Program (LllffiAP) Administrative Efficiency Fund within the Maine State Housing 
Authority to increase the capacity to accept and process applications for the LIHEAP program in a timely manner. 
Additional costs to the Maine State Housing Authority and the Department of Health and Human Services to convene 
and take part in the required working group to investigate ways to improve and increase the efficiency of the LIHEAP 
program can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2548(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of l