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

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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
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.

Page 1 - 132LR0309(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §2491, sub-§7-F, as amended by PL 2023, c. 176, §3, is further
3 amended to read:
47-F. Lodging place. "Lodging place" means a fixed structure, or any part of a
5 structure, used, maintained or advertised as a place where sleeping accommodations are
6 furnished that offers stays that are temporary in nature and consist of fewer than 183 days
7 in the aggregate per year. "Lodging place" includes accommodations in the entertainment,
8 hospitality, recreation and tourism industries, including, but not limited to, hotels, motels,
9 bed and breakfasts, inns and properties under common management at the same location
10 where 4 or more rooms, cottages or condominium units are available. "Lodging place"
11 does not include vacation rentals, youth camps, dormitories of charitable, educational or
12 philanthropic institutions, fraternity or sorority houses affiliated with educational
13 institutions, permanent residences, rental properties with tenant and landlord relationships
14 as described under Title 14, chapters 709 to 710‑D, nursing facilities as defined in section
151812‑A, assisted living facilities as defined in section 7852, subsection 4‑A or , residential
16 care facilities as defined in section 7852, subsection 14 or emergency shelters.
17Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §4308, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2023, c. 643, Pt. II, §1, is
18 further amended by enacting after the 2nd blocked paragraph a new blocked paragraph to
19 read:
20 The maximum level of assistance for emergency shelter is the actual cost of providing
21 emergency shelter services.
22Sec. 3. 22 MRSA §4308, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2023, c. 643, Pt. II, §1, is
23 further amended by enacting at the end a new last blocked paragraph to read:
24 The department may not adopt any rule that reduces or otherwise restricts maximum levels
25 of assistance for providing emergency shelter or that establishes maximum time periods for
26 eligibility for emergency housing assistance that are more restrictive than limits established
27 in this chapter.
28Sec. 4. Retroactivity. This Act applies retroactively to July 1, 2023.
29SUMMARY
30 This bill provides that, retroactive to July 1, 2023, the maximum level of municipal
31 general assistance for emergency shelter is the actual cost of providing emergency shelter
32 services. It prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from adopting any rule
33 reducing or otherwise restricting maximum levels of municipal general assistance for
34 providing emergency shelter or any rule establishing maximum time periods for eligibility
35 for emergency housing assistance that are more restrictive than limits established in the
36 laws governing municipal general assistance.
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