An Act To
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1403
Committee Amendment CA_A_H514 (House)
Amends: 22 MRSA §4311

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT «f)" to H.P. 1018, L.D. 1403, .Bill, "An Act To 
Amend the General Assistance Laws Governing Eligibility and Reimbursement" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Amend the General Assistance Laws Governing Reimbursement' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause 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 381, 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 department shall reimburse each municipality and each Indian tribe 70% of the direct 
costs incurred by that municipality or tribe on or after July 1, 2015 and prior to July 1. 
2020 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 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 1018, L.D. 1403 
1-D. Departmental reimbursement. Beginning July 1, 2020, the department shall 
reimburse each municipality for the direct costs incurred by that municipality for the 
general assistance program granted by that municipality if the department finds that the 
municipality was in compliance with all requirements of this chapter during the fiscal 
year for which reimbursement is sought. 
The department shall reimburse to each 
municipality an amount equal to 70% of all direct general assistance granted by the 
municipality equal to or below .0003, and 90% of all direct general assistance granted by 
the municipality 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 381. 
Sec. 3. 22 MRSA §4311, sub-§1-E is enacted to read: 
1-E. Reimbursement to Indian tribes. Beginning July 1, 2020, the department 
shall reimburse each Indian tribe for 100% of all direct costs for general assistance 
granted by the Indian tribe if the department finds that the Indian tribe was in compliance 
with all requirements of this chapter during the fiscal year for which reimbursement is 
sought. For the purposes of this subsection, "Indian tribe" has the same meaning as in 
section 411, subsection 8-A. 
Sec. 4. Appropriations and allocations. 
The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF 
General Assistance - Reimbursement to Cities and Towns 0130 
Initiative: Provides funding for a 90% reimbursement rate for general assistance 
expenditures incurred that are in excess of .0003 of that municipality's most recent state 
valuation in any fiscal year. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
2019-20 
$1,182,268 
$1,182,268 
2020-21 
$1,182,268 
$1,182,268 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, removes the section 
of the bill relating to presumptive eligibility. It also grants 100% reimbursement for 
general assistance costs to Indian tribes. It clarifies that the municipality's most recent 
state valuation rather than the all state valuation is used for calculating when a 
municipality begins to be reimbursed 90% for general assistance costs and that the 
reimbursement is for gross costs rather than net costs. 
It establishes that the new 
departmental reimbursement to municipalities begins July 1, 2020. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached} 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 05/31/19 f/'dac 
LD 1403 
LR342(02) 
An Act To Amend the General Assistance Laws Governing Eligibility and Reimbursement 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ,f+{H-£l'!) 
Committee: Health and Human Services 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
lppropriations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2019-20 
FY2020-21 
$1,182,268 
$1,182,268 
$1,182,268 
$1,182,268 
Projections 
FY2021-22 
$1,182,268 
$1,182,268 
Projections 
FY 2022-23 
$1,182,268 
$1,182,268 
The bill includes ongoing General Fund appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services of 
$1,182,268 beginning in fiscal year 2019-20 for a 90% reimbursement rate for general assistance expenditures 
incurred that are in excess of .0003 of that municipality's most recent state valuation in any fiscal year. 
The bill also increases the reimbursment for Indian Tribes from 70% to 100%. The Indian Tribes have had no 
expenditures for general assistance or related reimbursement over the last 3 years and no additional funding is 
provided for this provision. 
LR0342(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1