An Act To Improve General Assistance Reimbursements
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1109
Committee Amendment CA_A_S273 (Senate)
Amends: 22 MRSA §4311

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " 4,, to S.P. 363, L.D. 1109, Bill, "An Act To 
Improve General Assistance Reimbursements" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act Relating to the Costs of Administering General Assistance' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4311, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2015, c. 267, Pt. SSSS, §1, 
is further amended to read: 
1. 
Departmental reimbursement. When a municipality incurs net general 
assistance costs in any fiscal year prior to July 1, 2015 in excess of .0003 of that 
municipality's most recent state valuation relative to the state fiscal year for which 
reimbursement is being issued, as determined by the State Tax Assessor in the statement 
filed as provided in Title 36, section 3 81, the Department of Health and Human Services 
shall reimburse the municipality for 90% of the amount in excess of these expenditures 
when the department finds that the municipality has been in compliance with all 
requirements of this chapter. 
If a municipality elects to determine need without 
consideration of funds distributed from any municipally-controlled trust fund that must 
otherwise be considered for purposes of this chapter, the department shall reimburse the 
municipality for 66 2/3% of the amount in excess of such expenditures when the 
department finds that the municipality has otherwise been in compliance with all 
requirements of this chapter. 
The depmiment shall reimburse each municipality and each Indian tribe 70% of the direet 
costs incurred by that municipality or tribe on or after July 1, 2015 for the general 
assistance program granted by that municipality or tribe. 
For the purposes of this 
subsection, "Indian tribe" has the same meaning as in section 411, subsection 8-A. 
Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §4311, sub-§1-D is enacted to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to S.P. 363, L.D. 1109 
1-D. Municipal administrative expenses. Each municipality and Indian tribe is 
responsible for 30% of the costs incurred for its general assistance program. 
Costs 
accrued by the municipality or the tribe for administering its general assistance program 
must be included in the municipality's or tribe's 30% of costs as long as the department 
determines that the costs are appropriate. The department shall adopt rules to detennine 
appropriate costs for administration. 
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are 
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
For the 
purposes of this subsection, "Indian tribe" has the same meaning as in section 411, 
subsection 8-A. 
IO 
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. 
The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS) 
General Assistance - Reimbursement to Cities and Towns 0130 
Initiative: Provides funding to account for increased costs to the State for the general 
assistance program due to the inclusion of administrative costs in the 30% of general 
assistance costs that are the responsibility of municipalities. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
SUMMARY 
2017-18 
$3,433,962 
$3,433,962 
2018-19 
$3,433,962 
$3,433,962 
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, replaces the bill and 
changes the title. It requires a municipality or Indian tribe to be responsible for 30% of 
the costs of its general assistance program and specifies that the costs incurred by the 
municipality or Indian tribe for administering the program count toward the 30%. It 
requires the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt routine technical rules to 
establish appropriate costs for administration. 
This amendment also provides funding for increased costs to the State for the general 
assistance program. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
2 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Revised: 06/13/17 .feac. 
LD 1109 
LR 1843(02) 
An Act To Improve General Assistance Reimbursements 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'A" 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2017-18 
FY 2018-19 
$3,433,962 
$3,433,962 
$3,433,962 
$3,433,962 
Projections 
FY 2019-20 
$3,433,962 
$3,433,962 
Projections 
FY 2020-21 
$3,433,962 
$3,433,962 
The bill includes General Fund appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services of $3,433,962 
beginning in fiscal year 2017-18 to account for increased costs to the State for the general assistance program due to 
the inclusion of administrative costs in the 30% of general assistance costs that are the responsibility of 
municipalities. 
LR1843(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1