An Act To Reward Work Performed by Welfare Recipients
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1402
Committee Amendment CA_A_H420 (House)
Amends: 22 MRSA §3736, 22 MRSA §3762

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " to H.P. 951, L.D. 1402, Bill, "An Act To 
Reward Work Performed by Welfare Recipients" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section I and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3736, sub-§3 is enacted to read: 
3~ Application; effective date. If an applicant for child care programs administered 
under this chapter is determined e'ligible. child care assistance must be provided 
retroactively to the date of application. 
Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §3762, sub-§3, tjfB, as amended by PL 2013, c. 368, Pt. 00, 
§3 and amended by Pt. UUU, § 1 and affected by §2, is further amended to read: 
B. The department may use funds, insofar as resources permit, provided under and in 
accordance with the United States Social Security Act or state funds appropriated for 
this purpose or a combination of state and federal funds to provide assistance to 
families under this chapter. In addition to assistance for families described in this 
subsection, funds must be expended for the following purposes: 
(1) To continue the pass-through of the first $50 per month of current child 
support collections and the exclusion of the $50 pass-through from the budget 
tests and benefit calculations; 
(2) To provide financial assistance to noncitizens legally admitted to the United 
States who are receiving assistance under this subsection as of July I, 20 II. 
Recipients of assistance under this subparagraph are limited to the categories of 
noncitizens who would be eligible for the T ANF programs but for their status as 
aliens under PR WORA. Eligibility for the T ANF program for these categories of 
noncitizens must be determined using the criteria applicable to other recipients of 
assistance from the T ANF program. Any household receiving assistance as of 
July I, 2011 may continue to receive assistance, as long as that household 
remains eligible, without regard to interruptions in coverage or gaps in eligibility 
for service. A noncitizen legally admitted to the United States who is neither 
receiving assistance on July 1, 20 II nor has an application pending for assistance 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
". 
()\ CO· 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT A " 
to H.P. 951, L.D. 1402 
on July 1, 2011 that is later approved is not eligible for financial assistance 
through a state-funded program unless that noncitizen is: 
(a) Elderly or disabled, as described under the laws governing supplemental 
security income in 42 United States Code, Sections 1381 to 1383f(2010); 
(b) A victim of domestic violence; 
(c) Experiencing other hardship, such as time necessary to obtain proper 
work documentation, as defined by the department by rule. Rules adopted by 
the department under this division are routine technical rules as defined by 
Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A; or 
(d) Unemployed but has obtained proper work documentation, as defined by 
the department by rule. Rules adopted by the department under this division 
are routine technical rules ,as defined by Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A; 
(3) To provide benefits to certain 2-parent families whose deprivation is based on 
physical or mental incapacity; 
(4) To provide an assistance program for needy children, 19 to 21 years of age, 
who are in full-time attendance in secondary school. The program is operated for 
those individuals who qualify for T ANF under the United States Social Security 
Act, except that they fail to meet the age requirement, and is also operated for the 
parent or caretaker relative of those individuals. Except for the age requirement, 
all provisions of T ANF, inCluding the standard of need and the amount of 
assistance, apply to the program established pursuant to this subparagraph; 
(5) To provide assistance for a pregnant woman who is otherwise eligible for 
assistance under this chapter, except that she has no dependents under 19 years of 
age. An individual is eligible for the monthly benefit for one eligible person if 
the medically substantiated expected date of the birth of her child is not more 
than 90 days following the date the benefit is received; 
(6) To provide a special housing allowance for TANF families whose shelter 
expenses for rent, mortgage or similar payments, homeowners insurance and 
property taxes equal or exceed 75% of their monthly income. 
The special 
housing allowance is limited to $200 per month for each family. For purposes of 
this subparagraph, "monthly income" means the total of the T ANF monthly 
benefit and all income countable under the T ANF program, plus child support 
received by the family, excluding the $50 pass-through payment; 
(7) In determining benefit levels for TANF reoipients who have earnings from 
employment, the department shall disregard from monthly earnings the 
following: 
(a) One hundred and eight dollars; 
(b) Fifty peroent of the remaining earnings that are less tha-n the federal 
poverty leyel; and 
' 
COMMITTEE AMEND.MENT 
?,. 0\ CO. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT A 
"to H.P. 9S1, L.D. 1402 
(C) All actual child care costs necess~ for VlOrk, exoept that the department 
may limit the child care disregard to $ i+5 per mOHth per child or $200 per 
mOHth per child under 2 years of age or vlith special,Heeds; 
(7-A) In determining eligibility and benefit levels, the department may apply a 
grQss income test only to applicants and not recipients of assistance, 
(7-B) In determining benefit levels, the deJ2artment shall disregard the following 
amounts from monthly earnings: 
(~) For a recipient employed 40 Qr more hours per \:Vc;:ek and \Vho meets 
work participation requirements as defined in federal l' ANF rules, 100% of 
t~egross earned income for the first ful,l mont~ of emplOYment and the llext 
consecutive month of employment, 75% of the gross earned income for the 
next 6 'consecutive months of empl()Yll1ent and $108 ang 50% of the 
remaining gross earned income for each additional consecutive month of 
employment thereafter; 
(b) For a recipient employed less than 4Q hours per week and who meets 
work participation requirements as defined in federal T ANF rules, 100% of 
the gross earned income for the first full month of employment, 75% of the 
gross earned income for the next 6 consecutive months of employment and 
$108 and 50% of the remaining gross earned income f<ir each additional 
consecutive month of emJ2loyment thereafter; 
(c) For all other recipients with earnings fr0l11 employment. $108 and 50% 
of the remaining gross earned income; and 
(d) All actual child care costs necessary for work, except that the department 
may limit the amount disregarded for actual child care costs to $175 per 
month per child or $200 per month per child under 2 years of age or with 
special needs.' 
... 
. .. 
" 
.. 
The department may disregard 1 00% of earnings for a recipient under 
s¥bparagraphs (a) and (b) only one time in a 12-mol1th period;' ., .. ,. . 
. 
(8) In cases when the T ANF recipient has no child care cost, the monthly T ANF 
benefit is the maximum payment level or the difference between the countable 
earnings and the standard of need established by rule adopted by the department, 
whichever is lower; 
(9) In cases when the T ANF recipient has child care costs, the department shall 
determine a total benefit package, including T ANF cash assistance, determined in 
accordance with subparagraph ff) (7-B) and additional child care assistance, as 
provided by rule, necessary to cover the TANF recipient's actual child care costs 
up to the maximum amount specified in section 3782-A, subsection 5. 
The 
benefit amount must be paid as provided in this subparagraph. 
(a) Before the first month in which child care assistance is available to an 
ASPIRE-T ANF recipient under this paragraph and periodically thereafter, the 
department shall notify the recipient of the total benefit package and the 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
l\, c\ CO. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT·A "to H.P. 951, L.O. 1402 
following options of the recipient: to receive the total benefit package 
directly; or to have the department pay the recipient's child care assistance 
directly to the designated child care provider for the recipient and pay the 
balance of the total benefit package to the recipient. 
(b) If an ASPIRE-TANF recipient notifies the department that the recipient 
chooses to receive the child care assistance directly, the department shall pay 
the total benefit package to the recipient. 
(c) 
If an ASPIRE-TANF recipient does not respond or notifies the 
department of the choice to have the child care assistance paid directly to the 
child care provider from the total benefit package, the department shall pay 
the child care assistance directly to the designated child care provider for the 
recipient. The department shall pay the balance of the total benefit package 
to the recipient; 
(10) Child care assistance under this paragraph must be paid by the department 
in a prompt manner that permits an ASPIRE-T ANF recipient to access child care 
necessary for work; and 
(11) 
The department shall adopt rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375 to 
implement this subsection. 
Rules adopted pursuant to this subparagraph are 
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A,' 
Amend the bill by inserting after section 3 the following: 
'Sec. 4. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
HEALTH ANI) HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS) 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 0138 
Initiative: Provides funding to families with income less than 200% of the federal poverty 
guidelines by placing funds in family development accounts. 
FEI)ERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND 
All Other 
FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND TOTAL 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 0138 
2015-16 
$500,000 
$500,000 
2016-17 
$500,000 
$500,000 
Initiative: Provides funding to revise the earnings from employment the Department of 
Health and Human Services disregards when determining benefit levels for recipients 
under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,A "to H.P. 951, L.D. 1402 
FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND 
All Other 
FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND TOTAL 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 0138 
2015-16 
$982,969 
$982,969 
2016-17 
$1,310,625 
$1,310,625 
Initiative: Provides funding to increase the number of months eligible individuals may 
receive transitional transportation benefits from 12 months to 18 months. 
FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND 
All Other 
FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND TOTAL 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, 
DEP ARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS) 
DEP ARTMENT TOTALS 
FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS 
2015-16 
$581,908 
$581,908 
2015-16 
$2,064,877 
$2,064,877 
2016-17 
$775,878 
$775,878 
2016-17 
$2,586,503 
$2,586,503 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, modifies the section 
of the bill relating to determination of benefit levels and eligibility for temporary 
assistance for needy families, TANF. 
It provides that a gross income test may only be 
applied to applicants and not recipients of assistance. It also directs the Department of 
Health and Human Services, in determining benefit levels, to disregard the following 
amounts of earnings: 
1. 
For a recipient employed 40 or more hours per week and who meets work 
participation requirements as defined in federal TANF rules, 100% of the gross earned 
income for the first full month of employment and the next consecutive 'month of 
employment, 75% of the gross earned income for the next 6 consecutive months of 
employment and $108 and 50% of the remaining gross earned income for each additional 
consecutive month of employment thereafter; 
2. 
For a recipient employed less than 40 hours per week and who meets work 
participation requirements as defined in federal TANF rules, 100% of the gross earned 
income for the first full month of employment, 75% of the gross earned income for the 
next 6 consecutive months of employment and $108 and 50% of the remaining gross 
earned income for each additional consecutive month of employment thereafter; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
\\.0\ CO. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT A 
"to H.P. 951, L.D. 1402 
3. For all other recipients with earnings from employment, $108 and 50% of the 
remaining earnings; and 
4. All actual child care costs necessary for work, except that the department may 
limit the amount disregarded for actual child care costs to $175 per month per child or 
$200 per month per child under 2 years of age or with special needs. 
This amendment also provides that if an applicant for child care programs is 
determined eligible, child care assistance must be provided retroactively to the date of 
application. The amendment adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/12/15 
;Wac::.. 
LD 1402 
LR2006(02) 
An Act To Reward Work Performed by Welfare Recipients 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ;ii, ( ~ -~ J,i)\ 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
.J ) 
Appropriations/Allocations 
Federal Block Grant Fund 
Revenue 
Federal Block Grant Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2015-16 
FY 2016-17 
$2,064,877 
$2,586,503 
$2,064,877 
$2,586,503 
Projections 
FY 2017-18 
$2,586,503 
$2,586,503 
Projections 
FY 2018-19 
$2,586,503 
$2,586,503 
This bill includes a a Federal Block Grant Fund allocation to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) 
of$2,064,877 in fiscal year 2015-16 and $2,586,503 in fiscal year 2016-17 to increase payments to recipients from 
revising the earnings from employment the DHHS disregards when determining benefit levels for recipients under the 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, to increase the number of months eligible individuals may receive 
transitional transportation benefits from 12 months to 18 months and to promote financial literacy and healthy saving 
habits of families with income less than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines by placing funds in family 
development accounts. Any additional cost from making child care assistance retroactive to the application date is 
expected to be minor and absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2006(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1