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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1081H.P. 703House of Representatives, March 18, 2025
An Act to Support Access to General Assistance at Municipal
General Assistance Offices and Designated Places
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 14, 2025. Referred to the Committee on
Health and Human Services pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative SACHS of Freeport.
Cosponsored by Representatives: BRIDGEO of Augusta, DOUDERA of Camden, GRAHAM
of North Yarmouth, KUHN of Falmouth, MASTRACCIO of Sanford. Page 1 - 132LR2120(01)
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2 as amended by PL 2023, c. 575, ยง2, is further
3 amended to read:
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5 designated place where any person may apply obtain an application for general assistance
6 during the municipality's regular business hours. Notice must be posted of these times, the
7 name of the overseer available to take applications in an emergency at all other times, the
8 fact that the municipality must issue a written decision on all applications within 24 hours
9 and the department's toll-free telephone number for reporting alleged violations in
10 accordance with section 4321. A municipality shall designate the daily hours when an
11 application for general assistance will be accepted and processed. These designated hours
12 may not total less than 50% of the municipality's regular business hours.
13 At all times the local office or designated place must display in a prominent location a
14 posted notice that includes the following information:
15 A. The regular business hours when an application may be obtained;
16 B. The daily business hours when an application may be accepted and processed;
17 C. The name of the overseer available to take applications in an emergency at all other
18 times outside the daily business hours under paragraph B;
19 D. The fact that the municipality must issue a written decision on all applications
20 within 24 hours; and
21 E. The department's toll-free telephone number for reporting alleged violations in
22 accordance with section 4321.
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24 This bill amends the law governing local offices where a person may apply for general
25 assistance to require each municipality to designate daily hours when an application may
26 be obtained, accepted and processed. These designated hours may not total less than 50%
27 of the municipality's regular business hours. It also changes the information that must be
28 posted at the local offices to reflect this amendment.
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