HB0334 - Energy assistance for the elderly and disabled.

 

2001

State of Wyoming

01LSO-0647

 

 

 

HOUSE BILL NO.  HB0334

 

 

Energy assistance for the elderly and disabled.

 

Sponsored by:  Representative(s) Parady and Boswell

 

 

A BILL

 

for

 

 1  AN ACT relating to taxation and revenue; providing a tax
 2  refund to the elderly and disabled for energy assistance;
 3  specifying eligibility criteria and refund amounts; and
 4  providing for an effective date.

 5 

 6  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

 7 

 8         Section 1.

 9 

10         (a)  Until June 30, 2001, Wyoming residents meeting
11  resource eligibility requirements specified in this act who
12  are sixty-five (65) years of age and older or who are
13  eighteen (18) years of age or older and are totally
14  disabled during the one (1) year period preceding the
15  effective date of this act and are not residents of any
16  state funded institution, are qualified for an exemption
17  and refund of state taxes to assist with home energy costs

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 1  as provided in this act. A qualified single person whose
 2  actual income is less than fourteen thousand dollars
 3  ($14,000.00) shall receive five hundred dollars ($500.00)
 4  reduced by the percentage that his actual income exceeds
 5  eight thousand dollars ($8,000.00) and qualified married
 6  persons, at least one (1) of whom is at least sixty-five
 7  (65) years of age or totally disabled, whose actual income
 8  is less than eighteen thousand dollars ($18,000.00) shall
 9  receive six hundred dollars ($600.00) reduced by the
10  percentage that their actual income exceeds ten thousand
11  dollars ($10,000.00) per year, provided the applicant can
12  include in his application copies of a home energy bill
13  showing a monthly rate increase of twenty-five percent
14  (25%) or more from a like period the preceding year.

15 

16         (b)  Applicants shall apply to the department of
17  health no later than June 30, 2001 for the tax refund
18  provided under subsection (a) of this section. The
19  department shall begin processing applications immediately
20  upon the effective date of this act and, subject to
21  appropriation, shall pay benefits to qualified individuals
22  upon approval of such applications.

23 

 

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 1         (c)  The benefits provided under this act shall be to
 2  assist qualified individuals with increased home energy
 3  costs incurred during the fall and winter of 2000-2001. The
 4  benefits provided under this act are in addition to any tax
 5  refund that may be available under W.S. 39-11-109(c)(ii).

 6 

 7         Section 2.  This act is effective immediately upon
 8  completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law
 9  as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming
10  Constitution.

11 

12                         (END)

 

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