8. a. A child who is a resident of this State is eligible, through his parent or legal guardian, to apply to the program established pursuant to subsection a. of section 7 of P.L.1987, c.370 (C.26:2-154).
b. In the event a family has more than one child with a catastrophic illness, as defined pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1987, c.370 (C.26:2-149), the commission shall waive the family responsibility, as established by regulation, for the other child if the family has met the family responsibility for the first child in a State fiscal year.