37.70.602    BENEFIT AWARDS: MISCELLANEOUS

(1) Households found eligible may apply all or a portion of their benefit award for conversion to a less costly heating fuel.

(2) Eligible households who convert to a less costly heating fuel must disclaim any right to additional program benefits for the current heating season regardless of change of address or any other circumstance except emergencies as defined in ARM 37.70.901.

(3) When an eligible household changes residence during the heating season, the household must file a new application. The household's benefit award will then be recomputed based on its new residence, and the new benefit will be prorated from the date of the change of residence. Any unused portion of the original benefit award reverts to the department. When an eligible household changes its type of primary heating fuel during the heating season, the household is not required to file a new application but must have its benefit award recomputed based on the new type of fuel. The new benefit will be prorated from the date of the change of type of fuel. Any unused portion of the original benefit reverts to the department.

(4) Benefit awards will be prorated for households new to the state or not previously responsible for heating costs from the date of residency or responsibility for the remainder of the heating season. Benefits will also be prorated for households who live in an area served by tribal LIHEAP if the household moves from the service area during the heating season and applies for benefits through Montana LIHEAP. Such households are eligible for a prorated benefit for the remainder of the heating season from the date the household moved from the service area served by the tribal LIHEAP.

(5) When a household changes primary fuel vendors, any remaining LIHEAP attributable credit balance will be returned to the department by the original fuel vendor. The department may reissue the unused portion of the benefit award to the new fuel vendor or reimburse the household as provided in ARM 37.70.607.

History: 53-2-201, MCA; IMP, 53-2-201, MCA; NEW, 1982 MAR p. 732, Eff. 4/16/82; AMD, 1982 MAR p. 1771, Eff. 10/1/82; AMD, 1983 MAR p. 131, Eff. 2/11/83; AMD, 1983 MAR p. 1362, Eff. 9/30/83; AMD, 1984 MAR p. 1481, Eff. 10/12/84; AMD, 1985 MAR p. 1412, Eff. 9/27/85; AMD, 1986 MAR p. 1606, Eff. 9/26/86; AMD, 1993 MAR p. 2437, Eff. 10/15/93; TRANS, from SRS, 1998 MAR p. 2059; AMD, 2005 MAR p. 2078, Eff. 10/28/05; AMD, 2007 MAR p. 1948, Eff. 11/22/07; AMD, 2011 MAR p. 108, Eff. 1/28/11; AMD, 2015 MAR p. 2145, Eff. 12/11/15; AMD, 2023 MAR p. 480, Eff. 5/27/23.