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<section article="ghu" article_name="Human Services" number="5-5A-10" title_number="5" title_name="Public Assistance" subtitle_number="5A" subtitle_name="Energy Assistance Program">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Office shall develop a uniform redetermination process to assist eligible energy customers who are at least 60 years old in enrolling in energy assistance programs.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The redetermination process developed under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be updated annually.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The redetermination process shall require local administering agencies to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>have an accessible location to receive eligible energy customers’ applications according to the Office’s contractual or program requirements; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>establish a policy reflecting reasonable accommodations for applicants who are homebound or request accommodation, including by:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>arranging for a home visit; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>allowing an individual to apply on the behalf of an eligible energy customer.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Office shall provide notice of the redetermination process to all eligible energy customers and include with the notice an addressed envelope with prepaid postage.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>In addition to the notice required under subsection (c) of this section, the Office shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>require yearly verification of status for each customer that qualifies for the redetermination process;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>allow an eligible energy customer 45 days to respond to a request for additional information; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>maintain records organized by county, including records on the number of households during the previous year:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>that were eligible for redetermination;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>whose notice of the redetermination process was verified and returned; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>that were reenrolled in the redetermination process.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Office may not require a new application for a current energy customer whose eligibility has not changed from the previous year.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>On or before December 1 each year, the Office shall report, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, to the General Assembly on the information collected under subsection (d)(3) of this section.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>The Department shall adopt regulations to implement this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
