Findings, declarations relative to energy assistance program

1. The Legislature finds and declares that certain citizens of the State may find it difficult to pay for energy services because of a temporary financial reversal, medical crisis or other family problem; and that nonprofit energy assistance organizations such as New Jersey Statewide Heating Assistance and Referral for Energy Services (SHARES), have been formed, joining together various nonprofit human service agencies and the major energy utilities in the State to raise money through contributions of the members and others to provide temporary financial assistance to needy customers that may have exhausted all other available resources. The Legislature therefore determines that it serves a public purpose to provide supplemental funding to such Statewide nonprofit energy assistance organizations from the unclaimed property held by the electric and gas utilities in the State.