2011 Vermont Code
Title 33 Human Services
Chapter 26 HOME HEATING FUEL ASSISTANCE
§ 2607 Payments to fuel suppliers

§ 2607. Payments to fuel suppliers

(a) The secretary of human services or designee shall certify fuel suppliers, excluding firewood and wood pellet suppliers, to be eligible to participate in the home heating fuel assistance program. Beneficiaries may use their seasonal fuel assistance benefit to obtain home heating fuel or energy only from a fuel supplier certified by the director, except that beneficiaries who heat with firewood or wood pellets may obtain their firewood or wood pellets from any supplier they choose.

(b) Certified fuel suppliers shall agree to conduct reasonable efforts in order to inform and assist beneficiaries in their service areas, maintain records of amounts and costs of all fuel deliveries, send periodic statements to customers receiving home heating fuel assistance informing them of their account's credit or debit balance as of the last statement, deliveries or usage since that statement and the charges for such, payments made or applied, indicating their source, since that statement, and the ending credit or debit balance. Certified fuel suppliers shall also agree to provide the secretary of human services or designee such information deemed necessary for the efficient administration of the program, including information required to pay the beneficiary's benefits to the certified supplier after fuel is delivered or, for metered fuel and regulated utilities, after the beneficiary's account has been billed.

(c) Certified fuel suppliers shall not disclose the beneficiary status of recipients of home heating fuel assistance benefits, the names of recipients, or other information pertaining to recipients to anyone, except for purposes directly connected with administration of the home heating fuel assistance program or when required by law.

(d) Certified fuel suppliers shall also agree to enter into budget agreements with beneficiaries for annualized monthly payments for fuel supplies provided the beneficiary meets accepted industry credit standards, and shall grant program beneficiaries such cash discounts, preseason delivery savings, automatic fuel delivery agreements, and any other discounts granted to any other heating fuel customer or as the secretary of human services or designee may negotiate with certified fuel suppliers.

(e) The secretary of human services or designee shall provide each certified fuel supplier with a list of the households who are its customers and have been found eligible for annual home heating fuel assistance for the current year, the total amount of annual home heating fuel assistance that has been authorized for each household, and how the total amount has been allocated over the heating season. Each authorized amount shall function as a line of credit for each eligible household. The secretary or designee shall disburse authorized home heating fuel assistance benefits to certified fuel suppliers on behalf of eligible households after fuel is delivered or, for metered fuel and regulated utilities, after the beneficiary's account has been billed.

(f) The secretary of human services or designee shall negotiate with one or more certified fuel suppliers to obtain the most advantageous pricing and, payment terms, and delivery methods possible for eligible households. (Added 1995, No. 158 (Adj. Sess.), { 1, eff. May 10, 1996; amended 1999, No. 59, { 6, eff. June 1, 1999; 2005, No. 93 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 38, 126c, eff. March 3, 2006; 2009, No. 88 (Adj. Sess.), { 6, eff. April 29, 2010.)