Resolve, to Provide Safe, Short-term Housing to Individuals Recently Released from Correctional Facilities

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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
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.

Page 1 - 132LR0201(01)
1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 34-A MRSA §3053 is enacted to read:
3§3053. Transitional housing program and fund
41. Transitional housing program. The department, in collaboration with the Maine
5 State Housing Authority, shall administer a program to provide transitional housing to an
6 indigent client for the first 2 months after the client's release from a correctional facility.
7 Criteria for housing under this section include that:
8 A. The housing is maintained in a safe, sanitary manner and meets all state and local
9 building codes under Title 10, chapter 1103 and fire and life safety codes under Title
10 25, section 2452 for the type of building in which the transitional housing is located;
11 B. The former client has a bed and adequate bedroom and living space and the housing
12 has private toilet and bathing facilities and adequate dining and kitchen facilities for
13 the number of residents in the unit or building; and
14 C. Adequate provisions have been made for a former client convicted of a sex offense
15 under Title 17-A, chapters 11 and 12 and to meet all requirements and restrictions for
16 sex offenders under chapters 15 and 17.
172. Transitional housing fund. The transitional housing fund is established. The fund
18 is administered by the department. The purpose of the fund is to support transitional
19 housing for recently released clients of a correctional facility under subsection 1. The fund
20 receives money from appropriations, allocations, donations, grants and other public and
21 private funding sources. The department may invest money in the fund, and interest earned
22 by the fund is credited to the fund. The fund may not lapse but must be carried forward to
23 the next fiscal year.
24Sec. 2. Maine State Housing Authority to study long-term solutions for
25transitional housing for recently released indigent clients of Department of
26Corrections. The Maine State Housing Authority, in collaboration with the Department
27 of Corrections, shall study long-term solutions for transitional housing for recently released
28 indigent clients of the Department of Corrections. By December 3, 2025, the Maine State
29 Housing Authority shall submit a report on the conclusions of the study, along with any
30 recommended legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Housing and Economic
31 Development. The joint standing committee may report out legislation based upon the
32 report to the Second Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature.
33SUMMARY
34 This bill directs the Department of Corrections to administer a program to provide
35 transitional housing to recently released indigent clients of the Department of Corrections
36 and establishes a fund to fund the program. This bill also directs the Maine State Housing
37 Authority to study long-term solutions for transitional housing for recently released
38 indigent clients of the Department of Corrections.
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