An Act To Require That Electronic Benefits Transfer System Cash Benefits Are Used for the Purpose for Which the Benefits Are Provided
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1030
Committee Amendment CA_A_H518 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" It" to H.P. 725, L.D. 1030, Bill, "An Act To 
Require That Electronic Benefits Transfer System Cash Benefits Are Used for the 
Purpose for Which the Benefits Are Provided" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Prohibit the Use t[)fTANF Benefits for the Purchase of Alcohol and 
Tobacco Products and To Allow for the Random Audit of Cash Expenditures' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 22 MRS A §3763, sub-§§l1 and 12 are enacted to read: 
11. Prohibited purchases. A recipient of T ANF may not use T ANF cash benefits 
for the purchase of alcoholic beverages or tobacco products. 
If the department 
determines in an audit pursuant to subsection 12 that a recipient ofTANF has used TANF 
cash benefits to purchase items prohibited under this subsection, the department shall 
deduct the amount of the transaction from the recipient's benefits under the electronic 
benefits transfer system for the month subsequent to the determination of the prohibited 
purchases. 
12. Retention of receipts for 12 months; random audits by department. A 
recipient of T ANF shall retain, for 12 months, a receipt for every cash transaction the 
recipient makes using the cash benefits of an electronic benefits transfer system card, 
including receipts for purchasl~s made with cash withdrawn from the electronic benefits 
transfer sytem card. The department may randomly audit the receipts for the period from 
January 1st to June 30th or July 1st to December 31st, whichever period is most recent, 
for up to 1 % of T ANF recipients each year. 
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
HEAL TH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS) 
Division of Audit Z157 
COMMI'TTEE AMENDMENT 
.,. 
~ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 725, L.D. 1030 
Initiative: Provides funding for 2 Auditor II positions and one Accounting Associate I 
position and related costs to audit Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 
recipients. Assumes having to complete between 85 and 90 audit cases annually. 
GENERAL FUND 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
Personal Services 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
Personal Services 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, 
DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS) 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
GENERAL FUND 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS 
SUMMARY 
2013-14 
3.000 
$84,502 
$5,304 
$89,806 
2013-14 
$56,335 
$3,536 
$59,871 
2013-14 
$89,806 
$59,871 
$149,677 
2014-15 
3.000 
$115,739 
$7,071 
$122,810 
2014-15 
$77,159 
$4,714 
$81,873 
2014-15 
$122,810 
$81,873 
$204,683 
This amendment, which is the minority report of the committee, replaces the bill. It 
prohibits recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, benefits from 
using benefits to purchase alcoholic beverages or tobacco products. The amendment also 
requires recipients of T ANF to retain receipts for cash transactions, including those made 
with cash withdrawn from the electronic benefits transfer system card, for 12 months. 
The Department of Health and Human Services may audit the receipts for a 6-month 
period for up to 1 % of all T ANF recipients to determine if a recipient has spent T ANF 
cash benefits on prohibited items. If the Department of Health and Human Services 
determines that such a purchase has been made, the department is required to deduct that 
amount from the recipient's T ANF benefits for the following month. 
The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/09113 
;:!vac:.. 
126th Mj~INE LEGISLATURE 
LD 1030 
LR 1163(02) 
An Act To Require That Electronic BeIllefits Transfer System Cash Benefits Are Used for the Purpose 
for Which the Benefits Are Provided 
Fiscal Note for Bill "s Amended by Committee Amendment -A' CH -:518) 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor savings - Federal Block Grant Fund 
FY 2013-14 
$89,806 
$89,806 
$59,871 
FY 2014-15 
$122,810 
$122,810 
$81,873 
Projections 
FY 2015-16 
$126,282 
$126,282 
$84,188 
Projections 
FY 2016-17 
$129,858 
$129,858 
$86,572 
Provides appropriations of$89,806 in fiscal yc;:ar 2013-14 and $122,810 in fiscal year 2014-15 for the Division of 
Audit in the Department of Health and Human Services for two Auditor II positions and one Accounting Associate I 
position and related costs to audit Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients. Any savings in 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant spending are expected to be minor. 
LRII ('3(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1