An Act To Prioritize Use of Available Resources in General Assistance Programs
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1036
Committee Amendment CA_A_S194 (Senate)
Amends: 22 MRSA §4301, 22 MRSA §4317-A

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" Pr" to S.P. 362, L.D. 1036, Bill, "An Act To 
Prioritize Use of Available Resources in General Assistance Programs" 
Amend the bill by inserting after the enacting clause and before section 1 the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4301, sub-§l-B is enacted to read: 
1-B. 
Available resource. 
"Available resource" means any resource that is 
immediately available or can be secured without delay, including but not limited to cash 
on hand or in bank accounts; support from relatives; any state, federal or nonprofit health 
or social service provider assistance; or any housing, employment or unemployment 
assistance that an applicant is receiving or is immediately eligible to receive.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 4 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 4. 22 MRSA §4317-A is enacted to read: 
§4317-A. Use of available resources 
1. 
Abandonment and refusal to use available resource. 
An applicant who 
abandons or refuses to use an available resource without just cause is not eligible to 
receive general assistance to replace the abandoned or refused available resource for a 
period of 120 days from the date the applicant abandoned or refused to use the available 
resource. An available resource is considered abandoned if the applicant without just 
cause voluntarily terminates receipt of an available resource. It is the responsibility of the 
applicant to establish the presence of just cause. 
2. Forfeiture of benefits. An applicant who forfeits receipt of or causes reduction in 
benefits from an available resource because of fraud, misrepresentation or a knowing or 
intentional violation of a rule governing an available resource or a refusal to comply with 
a rule governing an available resource without just cause is not eligible to receive general 
assistance to replace the forfeited benefits for the duration of a sanction imposed on the 
applicant for violation of a rule governing an available resource or 120 days, whichever is 
greater. It is the responsibility of the applicant to establish the presence of just cause. 
, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" Pc" to S.P. 362, L.D. 1036 
Failure of an otherwise eligible person to comply with this section may not affect the 
general assistance eligibility of any member of the person's household.' 
Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter 
or section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the minority report of the committee, retains from the bill 
a definition for "available resource" but moves it to the general definition section for the 
chapter of law relating to municipal general assistance. The amendment also removes the 
provision in the bill that identifies circumstances relating to the use of an available 
resource under which just cause must be found, relying instead on the definition of "just 
cause" in the general definition section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06103/15 
;:'WaC':.. 
LD 1036 
LR 1525(02) 
An Act To Prioritize Use of Available Resources in General Assistance Programs 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment IIfJi.'(S-/"l4) 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Potential current biennium savings - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This bill may produce savings to the Department of Health and Human services. However, since General Assistance is 
administered by municipalities, DHHS does not have client specific data to determine if the sanction period or 120 
days is greater. Also, DHHS is unable to determine which clients return to seek General Assistance benefits once the 
disqualification period has ended. 
LR1525(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1