An Act to Modernize the State Supplement to Supplemental
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0840
Committee: Health and Human Services
Sponsors: TIPPING, OSHER
Amends: 22 MRSA §3271, 22 MRSA §3272, 22 MRSA §3273

Legislative Document
No. 840
S.P. 373
In Senate, March 4, 2025
An Act to Modernize the State Supplement to Supplemental 
Security Income by Removing Marriage Disincentives
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator TIPPING of Penobscot.
Cosponsored by Representative OSHER of Orono and
Senators: INGWERSEN of York, MOORE of Washington, Representative: ROEDER of 
Bangor.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §3271, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2023, c. 405, Pt. A, §65, is 
further amended to read:
2.   The department, to the extent allowed by Title XVI of the United States Social 
Security Act, as amended, and regulations promulgated thereunder, shall establish standard 
levels of state supplemental income benefits for blind, disabled and elderly people. The 
benefits must be provided under a modified flat benefit system, and may vary by marital 
status, and by living arrangements to the extent allowed by Title XVI of the United States 
Social Security Act, as amended, and regulations promulgated thereunder. The benefits 
may not be based on individual budgeted need and may not vary by category or 
geographical area. Benefits for a couple, except as provided under section 3273, subsection 
1, paragraph B, must be equal to the sum of the amount of benefit for an each individual 
and 50% of the benefit for an individual in the couple.
Sec. 2.  22 MRSA §3272, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 790, §3, is amended to 
read:
1.  Standard.  The standard utilized to determine need shall must be the current annual 
budget at the lower level of living for a retired couple an individual as most recently 
determined by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, for 
Portland, Maine, or budgets which that are consistent with such a budget at the lower level 
of living, taking into account budget variances by marital status and living arrangements 
permited permitted pursuant to Title XVI of the United States Social Security Act, as 
amended, and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Sec. 3.  22 MRSA §3273, sub-§1, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 790, §3, is 
amended to read:
A.  Increase the minimum monthly federal payment standard, in addition to that 
established pursuant to federal law, by an amount of at least $8 per month for an 
individual and $12 per month for a couple;
Sec. 4.  22 MRSA §3273, sub-§1, ¶C, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 790, §3, is 
amended to read:
C.  For a beneficiary who resides in a living arrangement which that meets a living 
arrangement classification established by the department, but who does not reside in 
an adult foster home or boarding home, in addition to the minimum federal payment 
level as adjusted pursuant to paragraph A, provide, based on such living arrangement 
classification, an amount not to exceed $42 per month for an individual and $63 per 
month for a couple.
Sec. 5.  22 MRSA §3273, sub-§6, ¶B-1, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 528, Pt. E, §25 
and affected by Pt. RRR and enacted by c. 591, Pt. E, §25, is amended to read:
B-1.  On July 1st of every year, the sum of the monthly amount of any state 
supplemental income benefit authorized by subsection 1, paragraphs A and C, plus the 
amount of the minimum monthly federal supplemental security income in effect at that 
time must be increased by a percentage amount equal to the percentage rise in the 
United States Consumer Price Index for April 1st of that year over the level of the 
Index for April 1st of the previous year plus any additional percentage amount as is 
recommended annually by the department. Such an increase may be made only insofar 
as appropriations are available. In determining the additional percentage amount, 
consideration must be given to the goal of reaching, within a reasonable time, a benefit 
level equal to or consistent with the current budget at the lower level of living for a 
retired couple an individual established by the United States Department of Labor, 
Bureau of Labor Statistics, for Portland, Maine.
If, on April 1st of any year, the sum of the monthly amount of any state supplemental 
payment authorized by subsection 1, paragraphs A and C, plus the amount of the 
minimum monthly federal supplemental security income in effect at that time, is equal 
to or exceeds the amount resulting from 12 divided into the current annual budget at 
the lower level of living for a retired couple an individual as most recently established 
by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, for Portland, 
Maine, or taking into account variances by marital status and living arrangements as 
established by the department, a budget that is not inconsistent with that annual budget 
divided by 12, the increase provided on July 1st next following is limited to the 
percentage rise in the Consumer Price Index.
This paragraph takes effect July 1, 1993.
SUMMARY
This bill amends the 1974 State Supplemental Income Act in the following ways.
1.  It replaces provisions of law that currently provide that payments to couples, both 
of whom receive the supplement, are 150% of the benefit for an individual with provisions 
of law providing that payments to the couples are 200% of the benefit for an individual. 
2.  It requires that the standard used to determine need is the current annual budget at 
the lower level of living for an individual as most recently determined by the United States 
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, for Portland, Maine, or budgets consistent 
with such a budget taking into account budget variances by living arrangements permitted 
pursuant to Title XVI of the United States Social Security Act.
3.  It establishes that, in determining any increase according to the United States 
Consumer Price Index, consideration must be given to the goal of reaching, within a 
reasonable time, a benefit level equal to or consistent with the current budget at the lower 
level of living for an individual, rather than a retired couple, established by the United 
States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, for Portland, Maine.