An Act To Impose a Lifetime Maximum on the Receipt of Welfare Benefits
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1511
Committee Amendment CA_A_H617 (House)
Amends: 22 MRSA §3762

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A" to H.P. 1114, L.D. 1511, Bill, "An Act To 
Impose a Lifetime Maximum on the Receipt of Welfare Benefits" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Impose a Lifetime Maximum on the Receipt ofTANF Assistance' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 2, 3, 4 and 5 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §3762, sub-§18 is enacted to read: 
18. Lifetime limit on assistance. Beginning October 1, 2011, receipt of T ANF 
assistance under this chapter is subject to the maximum lifetime time limit provisions of 
this subsection. The department shall adopt rules to implement this subsection. Rules 
adopted pursuant to this' subsection are routine technical rules as defined by Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
A. An adult may not receive T ANF assistance for longer than 60 months in the 
aggregate unless the adult has received an exemption or an extension under rules 
adopted by the department. 
B. When an adult has received T ANF assistance for 60 months and has not received 
an extension or exemption pursuant to paragraph A. the adult and the family of the 
adult are ineligible for continued T ANF assistance beyond that 60-month period. 
Sec. 3. Short-term T ANF assistance. The Department of Health and Human 
Services shall provide short-term TANF assistance for a maximum of 6 months for a 
family that becomes ineligible between October 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 due to 
the enactment of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 3762, subsection 18 if the 
adult members of the family comply in all respects with T ANF program rules. 
Sec. 4. Rule-making authorization. The Department of Health and Human 
Services is authorized to adopt emergency rules under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 
5, section 8054 in order to implement the provisions of this Act without the necessity of 
demonstrating pursuant to Title 5, section 8054, subsection 2 that immediate adoption is 
necessary to avoid a threat to public health, safety or general welfare.' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT A 
"to H.P. 1114, L.D. 1511 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the majority report of the committee. It removes the municipal 
general assistance provision and the effective date from the bill. Beginning October 1, 
2011, it limits the length of time an adult may receive T ANF assistance to 60 months in 
the aggregate, subject to exemptions and extensions according to rules adopted by the 
Department of Health and Human Services, and imposes disqualification on a family 
when an adult in that family has received benefits for 60 months. For a family that 
becomes ineligible between October 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 due to the 
enactment of the 60-month limit, the amendment provides for 6 months of benefits in 
some circumstances. It designates the rules adopted by the Department of Health and 
Human Services as routine technical rules. The amendment authorizes the Department of 
Health and Human Services to adopt emergency rules to implement the provisions of the 
legislation without the necessity of demonstrating that immediate adoption is necessary to 
avoid a threat to public health, safety or general welfare. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/12/11 Mac.. 
LD 1511 
LR 882(02) 
An Act To Impose a Lifetime Maximum on the Receipt of Welfare Benefits 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 11 " 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Potential current biennium savings - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
The actual savings that would result from the provisions of this bill would depend on the State reducing its 
maintenance of effort (MOE) funding level for the TANF program. Similar provisions included in Committee 
Amendment A to LD 1043, the 2012-2013 Biennial Budget Bill, are estimated to save $1,250,000 in 2011-12 and 
$500,000 in 2012-13, but are combined with other provisions to ensure the reduction of the MOE funding level. The 
enactment of LD 1043 will significantly affect the fiscal impact of this bill. 
LR0882(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1