§ 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.)