The division asked the committee to approve converting several intermittent positions in the Low‑Income Home Energy Assistance Program to permanent status, saying intermittent positions are difficult to fill because applicants prefer full‑time roles in larger budget accounts.

Robert Thompson said the Energy Assistance account is small and carries approximately 20 case managers; seven case managers and eight administrative assistants currently are intermittent, and the division requested conversion to permanent positions. Thompson said there is no general‑fund impact to the request because the account is funded by the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and related funds.

Members asked about outreach and how the program reaches families in their districts. Deputy Kelly Cantrell said the division conducts social‑media blasts and communicates through utility vendors and community sites that accept energy assistance applications to help get the word out.

The conversion request was presented as an administrative change to improve staffing reliability; no committee action was taken at the hearing.