General Assistance Updates

Training for: Legal Notes

The Legislature has made the following minor changes to Maine’s General Assistance (GA) laws:

Incarcerated persons. Under prior law, for persons applying for GA within 45 days of release from a correctional facility, the municipality where they resided prior to incarceration was initially responsible for GA benefits. This has been repealed. A previously incarcerated person’s residence for GA purposes will now be determined under general residency rules (see PL 2017, c. 130, amending 22 M.R.S.A § 4307(4)).

Bank information. The requirement that banks cooperate with GA administrators in verifying assets has been extended to national banks, which were previously exempt. The new law also clarifies that a bank information request must be accompanied by a release signed by the applicant. Also, the new law authorizes information requests to banks concerning the assets of a deceased applicant when burial or cremation benefits are sought (see PL 2017, c. 28, amending 22 M.R.S.A. § 4314(2)).

Burial or cremation costs. Spouses and registered domestic partners have been added to the list of family members potentially responsible for payment of burial or cremation costs. The new law also removes the requirement that family members must live or own property in Maine in order to have any responsibility for these costs (see PL 2017, c. 62, amending 22 M.R.S.A. § 4313(2)).

These changes take effect Nov. 1, 2017. MMA’s Model GA Ordinance has already been updated to incorporate them. The ordinance is available free to members at www.memun.org in our “General Assistance – Selected Resources” Information Packet. (By S.F.P.)

The Legislature has made the following minor changes to Maine’s General Assistance (GA) laws:

Incarcerated persons. Under prior law, for persons applying for GA within 45 days of release from a correctional facility, the municipality where they resided prior to incarceration was initially responsible for GA benefits. This has been repealed. A previously incarcerated person’s residence for GA purposes will now be determined under general residency rules (see PL 2017, c. 130, amending 22 M.R.S.A § 4307(4)).

Bank information. The requirement that banks cooperate with GA administrators in verifying assets has been extended to national banks, which were previously exempt. The new law also clarifies that a bank information request must be accompanied by a release signed by the applicant. Also, the new law authorizes information requests to banks concerning the assets of a deceased applicant when burial or cremation benefits are sought (see PL 2017, c. 28, amending 22 M.R.S.A. § 4314(2)).

Burial or cremation costs. Spouses and registered domestic partners have been added to the list of family members potentially responsible for payment of burial or cremation costs. The new law also removes the requirement that family members must live or own property in Maine in order to have any responsibility for these costs (see PL 2017, c. 62, amending 22 M.R.S.A. § 4313(2)).

These changes take effect Nov. 1, 2017. MMA’s Model GA Ordinance has already been updated to incorporate them. The ordinance is available free to members at www.memun.org in our “General Assistance – Selected Resources” Information Packet. (By S.F.P.)