An Act to Update the State Supplement to Supplemental Security Income

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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 834
S.P. 366 In Senate, March 4, 2025
An Act to Update the State Supplement to Supplemental Security
Income
Reference to the Committee on Health and Human Services suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator TIPPING of Penobscot.
Cosponsored by Representative OSHER of Orono and
Senators: BALDACCI of Penobscot, INGWERSEN of York, MOORE of Washington,
Representative: ROEDER of Bangor.

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1Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3273, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1985, c. 770, §3, is further
3 amended to read:
41. Combined benefits. The department shall take action, as necessary, to assure
5 ensure that, within the limits of available funds, a state supplemental income benefit, when
6 combined with a federal supplemental security income benefit, shall consist consists of
7 such amounts that the sum shall must:
8 A. Increase the minimum monthly federal payment standard, in addition to that
9 established pursuant to federal law, by an amount of at least $8 $65 per month for an
10 individual and $12 per month for an amount per couple that is consistent with the
11 amount provided to an individual pursuant to this paragraph and to a couple under
12 section 3271, subsection 2;
13 A-1. Annually, beginning October 1, 2026, increase the minimum monthly federal
14 payment standard, in addition to that established pursuant to federal law, by an amount
15 at least equal to the amount in paragraph A multiplied by the cumulative percentage
16 effect on the federal payment standard of federal cost-of-living adjustments;
17 B. For an individual who resides in an adult foster home or boarding home, having a
18 contract with the department for the provision of services to eligible residents, or
19 nursing home, as defined in section 1812‑A, in addition to the benefits provided herein
20 under paragraphs A and C, provide sufficient income to allow the individual for
21 personal needs an amount equal to at least $30 a month 3 times the state supplemental
22 income benefit calculated pursuant to paragraphs A and A-1, plus an amount sufficient
23 to meet the monthly per resident payment rate as established by the department of the
24 adult foster home or boarding home in which the individual resides; and
25 C. For a beneficiary who resides in a living arrangement which that meets a living
26 arrangement classification established by the department, but who does not reside in
27 an adult foster home or boarding home, in addition to the minimum federal payment
28 level as adjusted pursuant to paragraph paragraphs A and A-1, provide, based on such
29 living arrangement classification, an amount not to exceed $42 per month for an
30 individual and $63 per month for an amount per couple that is consistent with the
31 amount provided to an individual pursuant to this paragraph and to a couple under
32 section 3271, subsection 2.
33Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §3273, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1979, c. 563, §3, is further
34 amended to read:
354. Expenditures. Appropriations available for benefits provided in subsection 1 shall
36 must be budgeted and authorized for expenditure by the department in a priority sequence.
37 First, the available appropriation shall must be budgeted and expended to increase the
38 minimum monthly federal payment, as specified in subsection 1, paragraph A. Second, the
39 available appropriation must be budgeted and expended to increase the minimum monthly
40 federal payment, as specified in subsection 1, paragraph A-1. Third, any balance of the
41 appropriation remaining after such budgeting, shall must be budgeted and expended to
42 provide an individual sufficient income for personal needs, in accordance with subsection
43 1, paragraph B, and to meet the monthly per resident payment rate for adult foster and
44 boarding home care as provided in subsection 1, paragraph B and subsection 3. Finally,
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45 any balance of the appropriations remaining after such budgeting shall must be budgeted
46 and expended to provide benefits related to variations by living arrangements as provided
47 in subsection 1, paragraph C.
4Sec. 3. 22 MRSA §3273, sub-§6, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 790, §3, is
5 amended to read:
6 A. It is the declared intent of this Act that, if it is proposed that benefits provided
7 pursuant to subsection 1 are to be increased on any future date, that such proposal shall
8 must recommend, and implementation of such increases shall must provide, that the
9 benefits pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph paragraphs A, A-1 and B, shall must be
10 increased, and the benefits pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph B, shall be increased,
11 rather than increasing benefits pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph C.
12Sec. 4. 22 MRSA §3274-A, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 563, §4, is amended to read:
13§3274-A. Personal needs of nursing home residents
14 In administering this chapter, the department shall ensure that eligible individuals
15 residing in nursing homes, as defined in section 1812‑A, shall have at least $30 a month
16 for personal needs a monthly amount for personal needs equal to at least 3 times the amount
17 of the state supplemental income benefit calculated pursuant to section 3273, subsection 1,
18 paragraphs A and A-1.
19SUMMARY
20 This bill amends the 1974 State Supplemental Income Act in the following ways.
21 1. It changes the minimum state supplemental income benefit from $8 per month for
22 an individual and $12 per month for a couple to $65 per month for an individual and an
23 amount per couple that is consistent with the amount provided to an individual and to a
24 couple under current law, which requires benefits for a couple to be 150% of the benefit
25 for an individual, making the new amount $97.50 per month for a couple.
26 2. It provides that, starting October 1, 2026, the state supplemental income benefit
27 must be annually increased by the cost-of-living adjustment to the federal payment
28 standard.
29 3. It provides that, in the priority sequence by which the Department of Health and
30 Human Services must budget and authorize for expenditure appropriations available for
31 benefits, the cost-of-living adjustment must have priority immediately after the minimum
32 payment.
33 4. It updates the declared intent of the Act to provide that, if it is proposed that benefits
34 provided are to be increased on any future date, cost-of-living adjustments be included in
35 the benefits to be increased rather than increasing the benefits provided to a beneficiary
36 who resides in certain living arrangements.
37 5. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that eligible
38 individuals residing in nursing homes have a monthly amount for personal needs equal to
39 at least 3 times the amount of the state supplemental income benefit.
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