An Act to Increase Reimbursement Under the General Assistance Program
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1664
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: MOORE, TALBOT ROSS, BALDACCI, DUSON, HARRINGTON, TIPPING, BRIDGEO, DAVIS, HEPLER, MEYER
Amends: 22 MRSA §4311

Legislative Document
No. 1664
S.P. 669
In Senate, April 13, 2023
An Act to Increase Reimbursement Under the General Assistance 
Program
(EMERGENCY)
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator MOORE of Washington.
Cosponsored by Speaker TALBOT ROSS of Portland and
Senators: BALDACCI of Penobscot, DUSON of Cumberland, HARRINGTON of York, 
TIPPING of Penobscot, Representatives: BRIDGEO of Augusta, DAVIS of East Machias, 
HEPLER of Woolwich, MEYER of Eliot.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, provisions in this legislation take effect July 1, 2023; and
Whereas, unless this legislation takes effect immediately, the provisions in the bill 
cannot be effectuated; 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 enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
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 until June 30, 2023 
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.
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.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill increases, from 70% to 90%, the amount of state reimbursement for the costs 
of general assistance incurred by each municipality and Indian tribe.