An Act to Provide Safe, Short-term Housing to Indigent Individuals
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0244
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: TALBOT ROSS, HASENFUS
Amends: 34-A MRSA §3053

Legislative Document
No. 244
S.P. 110
In Senate, January 21, 2025
An Act to Provide Safe, Short-term Housing to Indigent Individuals 
Recently Released from Correctional Facilities
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator TALBOT ROSS of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Representative HASENFUS of Readfield and
Senator: BEEBE-CENTER of Knox.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  34-A MRSA §3053 is enacted to read:
§3053.  Transitional housing program and fund
1.  Transitional housing program.  The department, in collaboration with the Maine 
State Housing Authority, shall administer a program to provide transitional housing to an 
indigent client for the first 2 months after the client's release from a correctional facility.  
Criteria for housing under this section include that:
A. The housing is maintained in a safe, sanitary manner and meets all state and local 
building codes under Title 10, chapter 1103 and fire and life safety codes under Title 
25, section 2452 for the type of building in which the transitional housing is located;
B. The former client has a bed and adequate bedroom and living space and the housing 
has private toilet and bathing facilities and adequate dining and kitchen facilities for 
the number of residents in the unit or building; and
C. Adequate provisions have been made for a former client convicted of a sex offense 
under Title 17-A, chapters 11 and 12 and to meet all requirements and restrictions for 
sex offenders under chapters 15 and 17.
2.  Transitional housing fund.  The transitional housing fund is established. The fund 
is administered by the department. The purpose of the fund is to support transitional 
housing for recently released clients of a correctional facility under subsection 1.  The fund 
receives money from appropriations, allocations, donations, grants and other public and 
private funding sources.  The department may invest money in the fund, and interest earned 
by the fund is credited to the fund.  The fund may not lapse but must be carried forward to 
the next fiscal year.
Sec. 2.  Maine State Housing Authority to study long-term solutions for 
transitional housing for recently released indigent clients of Department of 
Corrections.  The Maine State Housing Authority, in collaboration with the Department 
of Corrections, shall study long-term solutions for transitional housing for recently released 
indigent clients of the Department of Corrections. By December 3, 2025, the Maine State 
Housing Authority shall submit a report on the conclusions of the study, along with any 
recommended legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Housing and Economic 
Development. The joint standing committee may report out legislation based upon the 
report to the Second Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature.
SUMMARY
This bill directs the Department of Corrections to administer a program to provide 
transitional housing to recently released indigent clients of the Department of Corrections 
and establishes a fund to fund the program.  This bill also directs the Maine State Housing 
Authority to study long-term solutions for transitional housing for recently released 
indigent clients of the Department of Corrections.