An Act to Secure Housing for the Most Vulnerable Maine Residents by Amending the Laws Governing Municipal General Assistance
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1426
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: MATHIESON, BALDACCI, CRAVEN, GATTINE, GRAMLICH, HASENFUS, MADIGAN, MILLETT, SARGENT, BRENNER
Amends: 22 MRSA §4302-A, 22 MRSA §4305, 22 MRSA §4309, 22 MRSA §4311, 22 MRSA §4323

Legislative Document
No. 1426
H.P. 922
House of Representatives, March 30, 2023
An Act to Secure Housing for the Most Vulnerable Maine Residents 
by Amending the Laws Governing Municipal General Assistance
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MATHIESON of Kittery.
Cosponsored by Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot and
Representatives: CRAVEN of Lewiston, GATTINE of Westbrook, GRAMLICH of Old 
Orchard Beach, HASENFUS of Readfield, MADIGAN of Waterville, MILLETT of Cape 
Elizabeth, SARGENT of York, Senator: BRENNER of Cumberland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §4302-A is enacted to read:
§4302-A.  Required training
No later than the 120th day following appointment or election, an overseer shall 
complete training on the requirements of this chapter. The department shall adopt rules to 
implement this section.  Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules 
as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2.  22 MRSA §4305, sub-§3-B, as amended by PL 2005, c. 231, §1, is repealed 
and the following enacted in its place:
3-B.  Temporary maximum levels.  Notwithstanding subsection 3‑A, municipalities 
shall establish an aggregate maximum level of assistance that is equivalent to the amount 
of rental assistance provided for tenant-based housing choice vouchers under Section 8 of 
the United States Housing Act of 1937, Public Law 75-412, 50 Stat. 888, as amended, 
except that the benefit level may not be less than the difference between the applicant's 
income and 110% of the area's fair market rent.
Sec. 3.  22 MRSA §4309, sub-§2-A is enacted to read:
2-A.  Redetermination of housing eligibility.  Notwithstanding subsection 2, if 
general assistance is being used to pay rent for an applicant whose rent is subject to a lease, 
an overseer may redetermine eligibility annually. 
Sec. 4.  22 MRSA §4311, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2015, c. 267, Pt. SSSS, §1, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place:
1.  Departmental reimbursement.  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 until June 30, 2023 for the general assistance program granted by 
that municipality or tribe.
Beginning July 1, 2023, the department shall reimburse each municipality and each Indian 
tribe 90% of the direct costs incurred by that municipality or tribe 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. 5.  22 MRSA §4311, sub-§1-B, as amended by PL 2015, c. 267, Pt. SSSS, §1, 
is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
1-B.  Reimbursement for administrative expenses.  The department shall reimburse 
each municipality for 5% of the direct costs of paying benefits incurred through its general 
assistance program.
Sec. 6.  22 MRSA §4323, sub-§6 is enacted to read:
6.  Statewide database.  The department shall establish and provide overseers with 
access to a statewide database for tracking applicants for the general assistance program 
and expenses relating to the program.
Sec. 7.  22 MRSA §4323, sub-§7 is enacted to read:
7.  Assistance with processing applications; hotline.  The department shall provide 
assistance to municipalities with regard to processing applications for the general assistance 
program.  The department shall establish a hotline that is available 24 hours per day in 
order to provide consistent, accurate advice to overseers.  The department shall respond to 
requests for assistance within 24 hours.
SUMMARY
This bill:
1. Requires an overseer, no later than the 120th day following appointment or election, 
to complete training on the requirements of the municipal general assistance program;
2. Replaces, for determining the maximum level of assistance, the fair market value 
determination with setting the assistance at the equivalent amount of rental assistance 
provided for tenant-based housing choice vouchers under Section 8 of the United States 
Housing Act of 1937 except that the benefit level may not be less than the difference 
between the applicant's income and 110% of the area's fair market rent;
3. Provides that if general assistance is being used to pay rent for an applicant whose 
rent is subject to a lease an overseer may redetermine the applicant's eligibility annually;
4.  Increases from 70% to 90% the amount of state reimbursement for the costs of 
general assistance incurred by a municipality and each Indian tribe;
5. Directs the Department of Health and Human Services to reimburse each 
municipality for 5% of the direct costs of paying benefits incurred through its general 
assistance program;
6. Directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish and provide 
overseers with access to a statewide database for tracking applicants for the general 
assistance program and expenses relating to the program; and
7. Requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide assistance to 
municipalities with regard to processing applications for the general assistance program 
and directs the department to establish a hotline that is available 24 hours per day in order 
to provide consistent, accurate advice to overseers.  It also requires the department to 
respond to requests for assistance within 24 hours.