SB 263 - This act creates the Utilicare Stabilization Fund which shall consist of private donations, grants, and moneys not to exceed $20 million annually, appropriated from the General Assembly. Of those moneys annually appropriated, at least 10% but not more than 20% must go to the Department of Natural Resources' weatherization program.

The Utilicare Stabilization Fund will be used for providing financial assistance to elderly households, disabled households and qualified individual households for the payment of charges for the primary or secondary heating source or the cooling source for the household. The cooling assistance provisions would offer eligible households assistance during periods of a heat alert or heat emergency as defined by the Department of Health.

The Department of Social Service is directed to promulgate rules for a system of crediting and debiting accounts for instances when a recipient moves to a different location within or out of state.

A qualified individual household means a household where: (1) one or more persons reside and whose combined income is less than or equal to 150% of the current federal poverty level; and (2) the household is eligible for assistance under the Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program or related state programs.

CHERYL GRAZIER