An Act To Reduce the Liability of Maine Taxpayers by Aligning Maine's Welfare Programs with Federal Law
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1631
Committee Amendment CA_A_H651 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "Pt" to H.P. 1107, L.D. 1631, Bill, "An Act To 
Reduce the Liability of Maine Taxpayers by Aligning Maine's Welfare Programs with 
Federal Law" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Establish the Commission on Child Poverty and Extreme Child Poverty 
and To Place a Moratorium on Actions To Enter into a Contract for the 
Administration of the ASPIRE-T ANF Program' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the Commission on Child Poverty and Extreme Child Poverty will 
examine the scope and magnitude of child poverty and extreme child poverty in this State 
and the roots of poverty and recommend policy solutions to improve the situation of child 
poverty and extreme child poverty in this State; and 
Whereas, the study must be initiated before the 90-day period expires in order that 
the study may be completed and a report prepared in time for submission to the next 
legislative session; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, be it 
Sec. 1. Commission established. Resolved: That the Commission on Child 
Poverty and Extreme Child Poverty, referred to in this resolve as "the commission," is 
established; and be it further 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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~OMMITTEEAMENDMENT"~"toH.P.1107,L.D.1631 
Sec. 2. Commission membership. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 
353, the commission consists of 13 members appointed as follows: 
1. Two members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate, including 
members from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature; 
2. Two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the 
House, including members from each of the 2 parties holding the largest number of seats 
in the Legislature; 
3. Nine members who possess expertise in the subject matter of the study as follows: 
A. A representative of an organization involved in hunger relief appointed by the 
President of the Senate; 
B. A representative of an organization involved in the Head Start program appointed 
by the President of the Senate; 
C. A representative of an organization that offers transitional employment and job 
training services to families or individuals in poverty appointed by the President of 
the Senate; 
D. A member of a state or local Chamber of Commerce appointed by the President 
of the Senate; 
E:., 
A representative of an organization that advocates for public policies and 
practices that improve the lives of children, youth and families in the State appointed 
by the Speaker of the House; 
F. A representative of an organization that is engaged in solutions to poverty and 
improving the lives of low-income people in the State appointed by the Speaker of 
the House; 
G. 
An individual who is a low-income mother appointed by the Speaker of the 
House; 
H. A representative of an organization that prepares at-risk children for school, with 
expertise in adverse childhood events appointed by the Speaker of the House; and 
I. An individual who conducts academic research in poverty and public assistance 
programs appointed by the Speaker of the House; and 
4. 
In addition to the 13 members appointed, the director of the office of family 
independence within the Department of Health and Human Services or the director's 
designee and the Director of the Office of Child and Family Services within the 
Department of Health and Human Services or the director's designee must be invited to 
participate as ex officio nonvoting members; and be it further 
Sec. 3. Chairs. Resolved: That the first-named Senate member is the Senate 
chair and the first-named House of Representatives member is the House chair of the 
commission; and be it further 
Sec. 4. 
Appointments; convening of commission. 
Resolved: 
That all 
appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this 
resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative 
Council once all appointments have been completed. After appointment of all members, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "11" to H.P. 1107, L.D. 1631 
the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission. If 30 days or more 
after the effective date of this resolve a majority of but not all appointments have been 
made, the chairs may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority 
for the commission to meet and conduct its business; and be it further 
Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: 
That the commission shall study the scope and 
magnitude of child poverty and extreme child poverty in the State, the roots of poverty 
and the reasons for any recent increase in child poverty or extreme child poverty and 
recommend policy solutions to improve the situation of children in poverty and in 
extreme poverty in this State. The commission shall: 
1. Review statistics and data trends relating to poverty, child poverty and extreme 
child poverty in the State; 
2. Identify critical data points that serve as benchmarks for measuring progress in 
mitigating the effect of poverty on children, including food insecurity, obesity and 
diabetes rates and educational achievements; 
3. 
Determine the efficacy of resources available to low-income families with 
children and barriers to participating in public assistance programs; 
4. Gather information about the systemic causes of child poverty and extreme child 
poverty; 
5. Determine the effect of policy changes on trends in the rate of child poverty and 
extreme child poverty in the last decade; 
6. Investigate the effect of adverse childhood events and parenting skills on poverty 
and the ability of parents to obtain and maintain employment; 
7. 
Review public assistance programs, utilization data, block grant funding and 
general funds allocated to programs and actual spending on programs; 
8. Review national strategies for improving the lives of children living in poverty; 
9. Determine how the State's programs align with federal requirements and law 
without reducing current resources allocated to children living in households on public 
assistance programs; and 
10. Determine effective methods of administering the ASPIRE-TANF program to 
achieve the goal of promoting sustainable employment and reducing child poverty, 
including the effectiveness of administering the program through the Department of 
Health and Human Services directly or through a contracted request for proposals 
process; and be it further 
Sec. 6. Staff assistance. Resolved: That the Legislative Council shall provide 
necessary staffing services to the commission; and be it further 
Sec. 7. 
Report. 
Resolved: 
That, no later than November 2, 2016, the 
commission shall submit a report that includes its findings and recommendations, 
including suggested legislation, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over health and human services matters. The committee may report out 
legislation on the subject matter of the report to the First Regular Session of the 128th 
Legislature; and be it further 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT.µ,, to H.P. 1107, L.D. 1631 
Sec. 8. Moratorium. Resolved: That the Department of Health and Human 
Services shall suspend its request for proposals for administering the ASPIRE-T ANF 
program, RFP #201512226, and may not conduct further requests for proposals or take 
other actions to contract for the administration of the ASPIRE-T ANF program prior to 90 
days after the adjournment of the First Regular Session of the 128th Legislature. 
Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this resolve 
takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, replaces the bill with 
a resolve establishing the Commission on Child Poverty and Extreme Child Poverty. The 
commission has 13 members appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives. The commission must invite the director of the office of 
family independence within the Department of Health and Human Services or the 
director's designee and the Director of the Office of Child and Family Services within the 
Department of Health and Human Services or the director's designee to participate. The 
commission must study the scope and magnitude of child poverty and extreme child 
poverty in the State, the roots of poverty and reasons for any recent increases in poverty 
and recommend policy solutions to improve the situation of children in poverty and 
extreme poverty in this State. The commission must submit a report to the Legislature no 
later than November 2, 2016. 
The amendment also establishes a moratorium on actions to contract for the 
administration of the ASPIRE-T ANF program until 90 days after the adjournment of the 
examine and recommend effective methods of administering the ASPIRE-T ANF program 
and the Legislature to review and act on those recommendations before changes to 
administration of the program are made. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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Approved: 03/30/16 frac 
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LD 1631 
LR 2712(02) 
An Act To Reduce the Liability of Maine Taxpayers by Aligning Maine's Welfare Programs with 
Legislative Cost/Study 
Federal Law 
\ 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment'~' (H-6 S!J 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Legislative Cost/Study 
The general operating expenses of this study are projected to be $500 in fiscal year 2015-16 and $1,750 in fiscal year 
2016-17. The Legislature's budget includes $10,000 in fiscal year 2015-16 and $10,000 in fiscal year 2016-17 for 
legislative studies. The balance currently available in fiscal year 2015-16 is $2,725. Whether the amounts are 
sufficient to fund all studies will depend on the number of studies authorized by the Legislative Council and the 
Legislature. The additional costs of providing staffing assistance to the study during the interim can be absorbed 
utilizing existing budgeted staff resources. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Any additional costs to the Department of Health and Human Services to participate on the commission are expected 
to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2712(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1