An Act To Reform Welfare for Increased Security and Employment
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1620
Committee Amendment CA_A_H536 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "ft" to H.P. 1115, L.D. 1620, Bill, "An Act To 
Reform Welfare for Increased Security and Employment" 
Amend the bill in section 8 in §24 by striking out all of the first indented paragraph 
(page 2, Jines 16 to 20 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'The commissioner shall place a photograph of a recipient of benefits under a 
program specified in section 22 or a recipient's authorized representative on the 
recipient's electronic benefits transfer card if agreed to in writing by the recipient. When 
a recipient of benefits is a minor or an incapacitated individual, the commissioner may 
place a photograph of the recipient's authorized representative on the EBT card. For 
purposes of this section. "authorized representative" means any person the recipient has 
duly designated to represent the recipient in accordance with procedures established by 
the department and who is not prohibited by applicable law or regulation to serve in that 
capacity.' 
Amend the bill in section 8 in §24 by striking out all of subsection 1 (page 2, Jines 21 
to 24 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'1. Government-issued identification card. An electronic benefits transfer card 
with a photograph of a recipient or a recipient's authorized representative is deemed a 
government-issued identification card.' 
Amend the bill in section 8 in §25 in the 2nd to last line (page 2, line 37 in L.D.) by 
striking out the following: "excessive number of' and inserting the following: 'reasons for 
the' 
Amend the bill in section 11 in subsection 15 in paragraph D in the 2nd and 3rd lines 
(page 3, Jines 40 and 41 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "of a 2nd or subsequent 
felony offense as provided in paragraph A. An individual who has been convicted of1' 
and inserting the following: 'on or after July 1, 2017 of a 2nd or subsequent felony 
offense described in paragraph A. An individual who has been convicted of such' 
Amend the bill in section 15 in subsection 18 by striking out all of the first paragraph 
(page 5, lines 36 to 41, page 6, lines 1 to 5 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~" 
"" 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"A" to H.P. 1115, L.D. 1620 
118. Lifetime limit on assistance. As used in this subsection, "family group" or 
"household" means an applicant for or recipient of TANF assistance, a child care subsidy 
or employment services and all individuals living with the applicant or recipient who 
have legal responsibility for or a qualifying caretaker relationship to a child of the 
applicant or recipient. A family group is not eligible for T ANF assistance, a child care 
subsidy or employment services if the family group contains at least one adult member 
who has received TANF assistance, including federal T ANF assistance received in any 
other state, for 3 6 or more calendar months since October 1, 1996, unless the 
commissioner determines a hardship exists and grants an extension allowing receipt of 
TANF assistance for a total of 60 months. An extension beyond 60 months may not be 
granted. A hardship exists when the recipient:' 
Amend the bill in section 20 in subsection 9 in paragraph B in the 2nd to last line 
(page 8, line 33 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "successfully prosecuted" and 
inserting the following: 'prosecuted that result in conviction' 
Amend the bill by adding after section 20 the following: 
'Sec. 21. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS) 
Child Support 0100 
Initiative: Provides a one-time appropriation and allocation for technology changes to the 
child support enforcement system. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND 
All Other 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND TOTAL 
Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention 0143 
Initiative: Provides a one-time appropriation for technology 
electronic benefits transfer card photo implementation. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
2017-18 
$21,323 
$21,323 
2017-18 
$41,391 
$41,391 
2018-19 
$0 
$0 
2018-19 
$0 
$0 
upgrades required for 
2017-18 
2018-19 
$95,850 
$0 
$95,850 
$0 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITIEE AMENDMENT ·A·" to H.P. 1115, L.D. I 620 
Office for Family Independence Z020 
Initiative: Provides on-going appropriations and allocations for electronic income 
verification. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
All Other 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 0138 
2017-18 
$141,480 
$141,480 
2017-18 
$172,920 
$172,920 
2018-19 
$141,480 
$141,480 
2018-19 
$172,920 
$172,920 
Initiative: Provides a one-time allocation for technology changes to the Automated Client 
Eligibility System. 
FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND 
All Other 
FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND TOTAL 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, 
DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS) 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
GENERAL FUND 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND 
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 
FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL-ALL FUNDS 
SUMMARY 
2017-18 
$554,668 
$554,668 
2017-18 
$258,653 
$41,391 
$172,920 
$554,668 
$1,027,632 
2018-19 
$0 
$0 
2018-19 
$141,480 
$0 
$172,920 
$0 
$314,400 
This amendment, which is the minority report of the committee, clarifies that the 
photograph of an authorized representative of a recipient of benefits issued through an 
electronic benefits transfer card may be included on the recipient's electronic benefits 
transfer cards and that such an electronic benefits transfer card is a government-issued 
identification card. 
It clarifies that an individual is permanently disqualified from 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
.. c.,,. 
~ 
COMMITIEE AMENDMENT'ff" to H.P. 1115, L.D. 1620 
receiving food assistance through the food supplement program if, on or after July 1, 
2017, the individual has been convicted of a 2nd or subsequent felony offense that 
includes as an element of the offense the manufacture, cultivation, distribution, 
possession or use of a controlled substance. It clarifies that a family group is not eligible 
for TANF assistance, a child care subsidy or employment services if the family group 
contains at least one adult member who has received TANF assistance, including federal 
T ANF assistance received in any other state, for 36 or more calendar months since 
October 1, 1996, unless the Commissioner of Health and Human Services determines a 
hardship exists. 
The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/19/17 frae 
128th MAINE LEGISLATURE -
LD 1620 
LR 2327(02) 
An Act To Reform Welfare for Increased Security and Employment 
\ 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment~' l H, 5 3 Ct?) 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Federal Expenditures Fund 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Federal Block Grant Fund 
Revenue 
Federal Expenditures Fund 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Federal Block Grant Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2017-18 
$258,653 
$258,653 
$41,391 
$172,920 
$554,668 
$41,391 
$123,920 
$554,668 
FY 2018-19 
$141,480 
$141,480 
$0 
$172,920 
$0 
$0 
$123,920 
$0 
Projections 
FY 2019-20 
$141,480 
$141,480 
$0 
$172,920 
$0 
$0 
$123,920 
$0 
Projections 
FY 2020-21 
$141,480 
$141,480 
$0 
$172,920 
$0 
$0 
$123,920 
$0 
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will require General Fund appropriations of $258,653 in 
fiscal year 2017-18 and $141,480 in fiscal year 2018-19 for one-time technology changes to multiple eligibility 
systems and on-going funding for electronic income verification. DHHS will also require Federal Expenditures Fund, 
Other Special Revenue Funds and Federal Block Grant Fund allocations for the federal portion of the above changes. 
Additionally, the change in eligibility requirements in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will reduce 
Other Special Revenue Funds revenue by $49,000 beginning in fiscal year 2017-18 due to a loss of a child support 
transaction fee. 
Additional costs to the Department of Secretary of State associated with providing photographs can be absorbed 
within existing budgeted resources. Highway Fund revenue is expected to increase by minor amounts not requiring 
any change to the budget. The Department of the Attorney General will incur additional costs related to the reporting 
requirements. Those costs can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted resources. 
LR2327(02) - Fiscal Note· Page 1 of 1