State Representative Laura Hoydick (R-120), Ranking Member of the legislature’s Energy Committee, expressed relief this week that the committee had chosen to restore funding to the state’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Plan (LIHEAP) in joint action with the Energy and Human Services Committees.
The restoration was unanimous and bi-partisan, as the legislative panels changed Governor Malloy’s recommendations on the distribution of a federal block grant for the program.
“The original plan from Governor Malloy was to assist only those who used he home heating oil or propane to heat their homes,” said Rep. Hoydick. “If you do that you turn away the roughly 80,000 families that were eligible last year just because of the source of the heating fuel they use. Luckily, the legislature unanimously supported this change which will allow people to apply without regard to the source they use to heat their homes over the winter.”
Under the new legislative provisions, families who are below 60% of the state’s Median Income will be eligible for heating assistance for their homes regardless of what type of fuel they use to heat their homes.
Information on applying for LIHEAP can be found by going to the Department of Social Services web site at: www.ct.gov/dss.
