Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §6201, first ¶, as amended by PL 1991, c. 824, Pt. A, §80, is further amended to read:

As Except as provided in section 6220-A, as used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.

Sec. 2. 36 MRSA §6205, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 516, §§3 and 6, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

§6205.__One claim per household

One claim is allowed for a household or homestead per year for relief from property taxes under sections 6201 to 6220 except for the provisions of section 6201, subsection 2, and an additional claim is allowed for a household or homestead per year for relief from heating fuel costs under section 6220-A, except for the provisions of section 6220-A, subsection 1, paragraph B.

Sec. 3. 36 MRSA §6220-A is enacted to read:

§6220-A.__Maine Heating Fuel Assistance Program

The Maine Heating Fuel Assistance Program is established as a supplemental program under the Maine Residents Property Tax Program to provide reimbursement to taxpayers for heating fuel costs.__Except where otherwise noted, standards for the Maine Residents Property Tax Program apply to this section.

1.__Definitions.__Notwithstanding the provisions of section 6201, as used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.

A.__"Benefit base" means the total amount of heating fuel costs paid by a claimant during the year.

B.__"Claimant" means a person who has filed a claim under this section, who was domiciled in the State and who paid heating fuel costs to heat that domicile during the year for which relief is requested.__If 2 or more persons from the same household meet the qualifications under this paragraph, each person may apply on the basis of the amount of heating fuel costs paid by that person.

2.__Readability; application; instructions.__The application form and instructions used by claimants under this section must have a readability score, as determined by a recognized