(A) On or before the first day of October, the director of development shall review all applications submitted under division (C) of section 5117.03 of the Revised Code and shall determine the eligibility of each applicant to receive a credit or payment. The total income and current total income amounts set forth in division (A) of this section are subject to adjustment under section 5117.071 of the Revised Code.

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(1) An applicant is eligible for a credit of thirty per cent if the applicant is a head of household, has a total income of five thousand dollars or less or a current total income of two thousand five hundred dollars or less, owns and occupies or rents and occupies a household receiving the source of energy for its primary heating system from an energy company and such energy is separately metered, and is either of the following:

(a) Sixty-five years of age or older;

(b) Permanently and totally disabled.

(2) An applicant is eligible for a credit of twenty-five per cent if the applicant is a head of household, has a total income of more than five thousand dollars but not more than nine thousand dollars or a current total income of more than two thousand five hundred dollars but not more than four thousand five hundred dollars, is sixty-five years of age or older or permanently and totally disabled, and owns and occupies or rents and occupies a household receiving the source of energy for its primary heating system from an energy company and such energy is separately metered.

(3) An applicant is eligible for a payment if either of the following applies to the applicant:

(a) The applicant would be eligible for the credit under division (A)(1) or (2) of this section but for the fact that the source of energy for the primary heating system of the applicant’s household is not separately metered;

(b) The applicant is a head of household, has a total income of no more than nine thousand dollars or a current total income of no more than four thousand five hundred dollars, is sixty-five years of age or older or permanently and totally disabled, and owns and occupies or rents and occupies a household receiving the source of energy for its primary heating system from an energy dealer.

(4) In the case of a multiple unit dwelling for which separate metering for the source of energy for its primary heating system is not provided, more than one applicant occupying such dwelling may be determined eligible for a payment under division (A)(3)(a) of this section.

(B) Notwithstanding division (A) of this section:

(1) No head of household who resides in public housing or receives a rent subsidy from a government agency is eligible for a credit or payment unless the person‘s rent subsidy does not reflect the costs of that person’s household receiving the source of energy for its primary heating system;

(2) A resident of a nursing home, hospital, or other extended health care facility is not eligible for a credit or payment for the costs of providing the source of energy for the primary heating system of the facility.

(C) The director shall establish a procedure whereby the director commissioner can verify total income and current total income for the calendar year in which an applicant is determined eligible for a payment or credit. If a person receives a credit or payment that the person is ineligible to receive under division (A) of this section as determined by the director, that person shall refund to the director the credit or payment, or excess portion of a credit or payment, that person received. The sum refunded shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the universal service fund created in section 4928.51 of the Revised Code.

(D) The director may request an additional certification of permanent and total disability for any applicant claiming such status on an application renewal form submitted under section 5117.03 of the Revised Code. Such certification shall be requested from the person or agency named on the form pursuant to division (B)(1) of section 5117.03 of the Revised Code. If such additional certification is refused due to a conclusion by the person or agency that the applicant is not permanently and totally disabled, the director shall determine the applicant ineligible for any credit or payment. If such additional certification is unavailable or refused for any other reason, the director may determine the applicant to be eligible for a credit or payment provided the director commissioner has good cause to believe the applicant is permanently and totally disabled.

(E) On or before the first day of October, the director shall notify each applicant of the disposition of the applicant’s application under divisions (A) and (B) of this section. At the same time, the director tax commissioner shall notify the applicant, regardless of whether the applicant’s application is approved or disapproved, that the applicant may be eligible to participate in a state or federal weatherization program and should contact the applicant’s community action agency for further information. If an application is disapproved, the applicant may appeal to the director for a hearing on the matter. A notice of disapproval shall include a detailed explanation of the applicant’s right of appeal under this chapter. Any such appeal shall be on an appeal form prescribed by the director and shall be filed with the director within twenty days of the receipt of the notice of disapproval.