New Mexico Register / Volume XXXVI,
Issue 20 / October 21, 2025
8.106.631.8
PROGRAM ELIGIBILTY: [Benefits shall be processed annually at the beginning of the federal fiscal year dependent on
the availability of funding.]
A. Limited to current SNAP recipients: no
application is needed for an individual or groups of individuals who reside together
that do not pay separate
heating or cooling
costs and do not receive
the heating and cooling standard utility allowance
(HCSUA).
B. Household: Eligible household include those
who:
(1) are receiving SNAP after being determined eligible
as outlined in 8.139.110 NMAC;
(2) have
gross income less than
two hundred percent of the poverty level;
[and]
(3) do not pay for any heating or cooling expenses,
including the payment
of a fee to use an
air conditioner; [and]
(4) are
not receiving the maximum SNAP benefit; [and]
(5) have an identifiable shelter cost; and
(6) include an elderly
or disabled household member.
C. Eligible households: [will receive the HCSUA is accordance with 8.139.510.11 NMAC.] will receive the HCSUA in accordance with
8.139.520.11 NMAC.
[8.106.631.8 NMAC - Rp, 8.106.631.8 NMAC 3/1/2025; A/E 11/1/2025]
A. Effective date: [At the beginning of every federal fiscal year,
October 1, a one-time energy assistance
cash payment will be issued
to eligible households as defined in Subsection A of 8.106.631.9 NMAC.] At the
beginning of every federal fiscal year, a one-time energy assistance cash
payment will be issued to eligible households as defined in Subsection B
of 8.106.631.8 NMAC.
B. Benefit issuance: [Heat and Eat benefits are issued through a
direct deposit into a household’s EBT account. EBT cards are issued and maintained as defined at 8.139.610
NMAC. A Heat and Eat participating
household has a definite issuance date so that
benefits are received on or about the same time annually.] The Heat and
Eat benefit is a cash payment issued through a direct
deposit onto the households EBT card and is issued one time per federal
fiscal year. For new SNAP households the
initial cash payment is issued upon approval of the SNAP benefits. A heat and eat benefit will not be issued if a
payment was already received in the current federal fiscal year. For active and ongoing SNAP households, the
cash payment will be issued at the start of each Federal fiscal year, on or about October
1. Cash payment benefits are issued and maintained
pursuant to 8.106.610 NMAC.
C. Benefit amount: Dependent on the availability of state general
fund a cash payment of no less than $20 will be issued.
D. Eligible uses for benefit: This Cash benefit is intended to help the household meet their heating or cooling needs. Please refer to
8.106.610.8 NMAC for uses of Cash benefit.
[8.106.631.9 NMAC - Rp, 8.106.631.9 NMAC 3/1/2025; A/E 11/1/2025]