Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) Pursuant to statutory authority,
N.J.S.A.
48:2-29.31, the Department shall establish procedures on the application
process consistent with law and supervise the operation with the policy and procedures so
established.
(b) The Department, through a Memorandum of
Understanding with BPU, has responsibility in the application process to:
1. Explain the purposes and eligibility requirements of the Lifeline
Programs and indicate the applicant's rights and responsibilities under their provisions;
2. Process applications;
3.
Certify to the Treasurer, State of New Jersey, the names of eligible tenants;
4. Notify the utility companies of eligible applicants and the amount of
credit to be applied to their accounts; and
5. Maintain
eligibility applications and supporting documents for audit purposes.
(c) The applicant has the responsibility to:
1. Complete the eligibility application form truthfully, legibly, and
accurately.
i. All application questions must be fully answered, including
providing a monthly rental amount or the amount of the lease if the applicant is applying for the Tenants'
Lifeline Assistance Program;
ii. All necessary documentation of
eligibility must be submitted to the Department;
iii. Read the
certification and authorization and sign or mark the application; and
iv. Obtain the signature or mark of the spouse, if married, and the
signature of the preparer, if applicable, on the application;
2. Upon request by the Department, provide documentation or assist the
Department in obtaining documentation that supports his or her statements.
i. Upon request by the Department, the applicant shall supply a copy of the
rental or lease agreement, the Tenant Verification form, which is incorporated herein by reference as
N.J.A.C. 10:167D-4 Appendix, or a document that contains all the information and signatures required by the
Tenant Verification form;
3. Agree to a review by the
Department. Eligibility may be terminated and benefits recovered if the beneficiary refuses to cooperate with
a quality control review; and
4. Upon request by the Department,
reapply for the Lifeline Programs on the forms mailed by the Department in order to renew
eligibility.
(d) The beneficiary has the
responsibility to notify the Department whenever one of the following occurs:
1. He or she moves out of the State of New Jersey;
2. His or her or their annual income increases to an amount which exceeds
the eligibility limit;
3. His or her marital status
changes;
4. He or she moves anywhere within the State of New
Jersey; or
5. He or she is determined to be ineligible for
continued Social Security Disability benefits.
(e) The
beneficiary has the responsibility to repay the State of New Jersey, upon request, for the cost of benefits
incorrectly paid on his or her behalf.
