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Committee approves $7.5M per year for low‑income electricity assistance; public advocate’s amendment aligns eligibility with LIHEAP
Summary
The committee voted to advance LD 995, which would appropriate $7.5 million in each of two fiscal years for low‑income electric bill assistance and aligns the program’s income eligibility with the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) at 150% of the federal poverty level.
The committee voted to report LD 995 — a bill carried by the Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) — “ought to pass as amended.” The bill as amended specifies that low‑income household eligibility for program dollars should match the LIHEAP standard (150% of the federal poverty level) and includes one‑time appropriations of $7,500,000 in FY 2025‑26 and $7,500,000 in FY 2026‑27 for the low‑income assistance program (LIAP).
Heather Samoran of the Office of the Public Advocate explained that the amendment cleans up the draft language so it tracks the PUC rules and the eligibility language that state agencies and advocates currently use; the change responds to AARP Maine’s suggestion to align LIAP eligibility with existing LIHEAP thresholds and with categorical eligibility administered by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Committee members asked how the state appropriation interacts with the existing ratepayer‑funded LIAP program. Samoran and committee staff explained that LIAP is a single program funded from multiple sources; adding general‑fund appropriations reduces the portion of the program that must be financed by ratepayer surcharges (the OPA described the funding as a “stack” where general fund dollars can displace ratepayer contributions to meet overall demand). Committee members also received numbers to illustrate the current per‑customer ratepayer burden: the OPA reported that LIAP funding equates to roughly $0.80 on a monthly residential bill in one utility territory (Efficiency Maine testimony cited CMP at about $0.80 per month), about $0.93 for Bangor Hydro territory and about $0.65 in a Versant/other territory; the committee asked Versant and OPA representatives to confirm jurisdictional differences.
After brief discussion, Senator Duchowksi moved the committee report “ought to pass as amended”; Representative Warren seconded. The roll call showed nine members in favor and one opposed; the committee will send the bill forward with the OPA amendment that establishes the 150% FPL eligibility.
Ending: The amendment aligns program eligibility with existing federal/state low‑income definitions and delivers targeted one‑time state funding to supplement ratepayer support for low‑income electricity assistance. Committee members asked for continued coordination between the OPA, PUC and the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure outreach and eligibility alignment when the funds are distributed.
