An Act to Prohibit the Department of Health and Human Services
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1959
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: TALBOT ROSS, GATTINE
Amends: 22 MRSA §2491, 22 MRSA §4308

Legislative Document
No. 1959
S.P. 766
In Senate, May 7, 2025
An Act to Prohibit the Department of Health and Human Services 
from Reducing General Assistance Reimbursement Maximums for 
Payment of Costs of Providing Emergency Shelter
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator TALBOT ROSS of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Representative GATTINE of Westbrook and
Senators: INGWERSEN of York, NANGLE of Cumberland, ROTUNDO of Androscoggin, 
TIPPING of Penobscot, Representatives: CLOUTIER of Lewiston, GRAHAM of North 
Yarmouth, MEYER of Eliot, ROEDER of Bangor.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §2491, sub-§7-F, as amended by PL 2023, c. 176, §3, is further 
amended to read:
7-F.  Lodging place.  "Lodging place" means a fixed structure, or any part of a 
structure, used, maintained or advertised as a place where sleeping accommodations are 
furnished that offers stays that are temporary in nature and consist of fewer than 183 days 
in the aggregate per year.  "Lodging place" includes accommodations in the entertainment, 
hospitality, recreation and tourism industries, including, but not limited to, hotels, motels, 
bed and breakfasts, inns and properties under common management at the same location 
where 4 or more rooms, cottages or condominium units are available.  "Lodging place" 
does not include vacation rentals, youth camps, dormitories of charitable, educational or 
philanthropic institutions, fraternity or sorority houses affiliated with educational 
institutions, permanent residences, rental properties with tenant and landlord relationships 
as described under Title 14, chapters 709 to 710‑D, nursing facilities as defined in section 
1812‑A, assisted living facilities as defined in section 7852, subsection 4‑A or, residential 
care facilities as defined in section 7852, subsection 14 or emergency shelters.
Sec. 2.  22 MRSA §4308, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2023, c. 643, Pt. II, §1, is 
further amended by enacting after the 2nd blocked paragraph a new blocked paragraph to 
read:
The maximum level of assistance for emergency shelter is the actual cost of providing 
emergency shelter services.
Sec. 3.  22 MRSA §4308, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2023, c. 643, Pt. II, §1, is 
further amended by enacting at the end a new last blocked paragraph to read:
The department may not adopt any rule that reduces or otherwise restricts maximum levels 
of assistance for providing emergency shelter or that establishes maximum time periods for 
eligibility for emergency housing assistance that are more restrictive than limits established 
in this chapter.
Sec. 4.  Retroactivity. This Act applies retroactively to July 1, 2023.
SUMMARY
This bill provides that, retroactive to July 1, 2023, the maximum level of municipal 
general assistance for emergency shelter is the actual cost of providing emergency shelter 
services. It prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from adopting any rule 
reducing or otherwise restricting maximum levels of municipal general assistance for 
providing emergency shelter or any rule establishing maximum time periods for eligibility 
for emergency housing assistance that are more restrictive than limits established in the 
laws governing municipal general assistance.