Resolve, Directing the Department of Health and Human Services To Develop a Bus Pass Program
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0841
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: STUCKEY, HASKELL, BATES, GOODE, SANBORN

Legislative Document 
No. 841 
H.P. 575 
House of Representatives, March 10, 2015 
Resolve, Directing the Department of Health and Human Services 
To Develop a Bus Pass Program 
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative STUCKEY of Portland. 
Cosponsored by Senator HASKELL of Cumberland and 
Representatives: BATES of Westbrook, GOODE of Bangor, SANBORN of Gorham. 
Sec. 1.  Department of Health and Human Services to develop a bus pass 
program.  Resolved:  That, by January 1, 2016, the Department of Health and Human 
Services shall develop and implement a bus pass program to provide monthly bus passes 
to individuals who live in geographical areas of the State served by transit systems that 
offer monthly bus passes and who use those transit systems to attend medical 
appointments reimbursed by MaineCare under the nonemergency transportation program 
within the MaineCare program and participate in state or municipal programs that aim to 
foster independence and economic security such as the Additional Support for People in 
Retraining and Employment - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program as 
established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, chapter 1054-A, work programs 
within other public assistance programs and other educational programs.  The Department 
of Health and Human Services shall leverage federal and state funds, including any 
funding from the nonemergency transportation program within the MaineCare program 
and possible resources from the Department of Labor and the Department of Education 
that are targeted to employment that could be used as part of the bus pass program.  The 
Department of Health and Human Services shall report to the Joint Standing Committee 
on Health and Human Services by March 1, 2016 on the bus pass program including the 
number of bus passes issued, the number of individuals being served and the sources of 
the funding. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve requires the Department of Health and Human Services to develop and 
implement a bus pass program by January 1, 2016 to serve individuals who live in areas 
served by public bus systems and who use those transport systems to attend medical 
appointments reimbursed by MaineCare under the nonemergency transportation program 
within the MaineCare program and participate in other programs that are aimed at 
fostering independence and economic security such as the ASPIRE-TANF program.  The 
department must identify funding sources that could be leveraged, including funding 
currently used for the nonemergency transportation program within the MaineCare 
program and possible Department of Labor and Department of Education resources 
targeted toward employment.  The department must report to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Health and Human Services by March 1, 2016 on the status of the bus pass 
program including the number of passes issued and individuals being served and sources 
of funding.