CHAPTER 132
H.P. 418 - L.D. 563
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §3214, sub-§5 is enacted to read:
5. Ensuring equitable treatment for persons with certain disabilities. If the commission establishes or approves one or more low-income assistance programs under subsection 2 or 3 that result in similarly situated persons receiving different levels of assistance depending solely upon which transmission and distribution utility service territory they reside in, the commission shall by rule establish an equitable-treatment program consistent with this subsection.
A. The equitable-treatment program must be available to any person who:
(1) Is eligible for benefits under the transmission and distribution utility's low-income assistance program established in accordance with subsection 2; and
(2) Provides documentation from a doctor that the person for health reasons needs an oxygen pump at least 8 hours each day.
B. The equitable-treatment program must be designed to ensure that the low-income assistance benefits provided under this section to persons who qualify under paragraph A mitigate, to an extent that is reasonably equivalent in each transmission and distribution utility territory, electric charges associated with the operation of an oxygen pump. The commission may not reduce any assistance provided under any low-income assistance program established under subsection 2 in order to satisfy the requirements of this paragraph.
C. The commission shall establish an administratively simple and inexpensive method of administering the equitable-treatment program.
D. Reasonable costs incurred by a transmission and distribution utility in implementing any program established by the commission under this subsection are just and reasonable expenses for rate-making purposes.
E. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Effective September 17, 2005.
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