§ 2601a. Definitions

As used in this chapter:

(1) “Household” means any individual or group of individuals who live together as one economic unit:

(A) for whom energy for home heating fuel is customarily purchased in common; or

(B) who make undesignated payments for energy for home heat in the form of rent.

(2) The following individuals are members of the same household based on their being legally responsible for the financial support of the applicant or recipient or another member of the household:

(A) an individual residing in the dwelling unit who is the husband, wife, or civil union partner, or minor daughter or son of the applicant or recipient;

(B) an individual residing in the dwelling unit who is the parent of any minor daughter or son included in the household; any minor daughter or son of such parent not already included in the household; the husband, wife, or civil union partner of any minor included in the household; or the minor daughter or son of any minor included in the household.

(3) The following individuals shall be presumed to be members of the same household, unless the applicant or recipient provides to the Office of Home Heating Fuel Assistance reasonable evidence that such individuals are not members of the same household economic unit:

(A) An individual residing in the dwelling unit who is related by blood, civil marriage, or adoption to another resident of the dwelling unit and has not been included in the household in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (2) of this section. Such relationships include the relationship of the adult applicant or adult recipient to his or her father, mother, grandmother, grandfather, adult son, adult daughter, grandson, granddaughter, brother, sister, stepfather, stepmother, stepbrother, or stepsister.

(B) An unrelated individual residing in the dwelling unit who does not pay reasonable compensation to rent one or more rooms as separate living quarters, or who does not make reasonable compensation in the form of caretaker or companionship services in the case of an applicant or recipient who is 60 years of age or older or disabled.

(4) The following individuals shall be presumed not to be members of the same household, provided that the applicant or recipient provides to the Office of Home Heating Fuel Assistance reasonable evidence that such individuals meet the following standards for exclusion from the economic unit:

(A) individuals in the custody of and placed in foster care by the Department for Children and Families and individuals placed in a home by or through a program administered by the Department of Health or of Disabilities, Aging, and Independent Living;

(B) individuals providing medically necessary personal care or homemaker services to a member of the household who is 60 years of age or older or disabled. (Added 1999, No. 59, § 1, eff. June 1, 1999; amended 2005, No. 174 (Adj. Sess.), § 108; 2007, No. 172 (Adj. Sess.), § 12; 2021, No. 20, § 315.)