1. 1. The department of social services is directed to establish a plan for providing financial assistance to elderly households, disabled households and qualified individual households for the payment of charges for the primary or secondary heating or cooling source for the household. This plan shall be known as "Utilicare".

2. 2. For purposes of sections 660.100 to 660.136, the term "elderly" shall mean having reached the age of sixty-five and the term "disabled" shall mean totally and permanently disabled or blind and receiving federal Social Security disability benefits, federal supplemental security income benefits, veterans administration benefits, state blind pension pursuant to sections 209.010 to 209.160, state aid to blind persons pursuant to section 209.240, or state supplemental payments pursuant to section 208.030. For the purposes of sections 660.100 to 660.136, but not for the purpose of determining "eligible subscribers" pursuant to subdivision (4) of section 660.138, the term "qualified individual household" shall mean a household in which:

   1. (1) One or more residents of the state of Missouri reside and whose combined household income is less than or equal to one hundred and fifty percent of the current federal poverty level or sixty percent of the state median income for the relevant household; and
   2. (2) While the Federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program remains in effect, the household is also determined to be eligible for assistance under such program and related state programs of the Missouri department of social services.

(L. 1979 H.B. 545, et al. § 1, A.L. 1980 H.B. 1177, et al., A.L. 1997 S.B. 263, A.L. 2002 S.B. 810)