LAW WITHOUT
GOVERNOR'S CHAPTER
SIGNATURE
734
MAY 7, 2022 PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-TWO
_____
H.P. 666 - L.D. 910
An Act To Amend the General Assistance Laws Governing Reimbursement
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. Transfer from Liquor Operation Revenue Fund. Notwithstanding the
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 30-A, section 6054, subsection 4, or any other provision of
law to the contrary, and in addition to any amount authorized to be transferred in fiscal
years 2021-22 or 2022-23, the Maine Municipal Bond Bank shall transfer $30,000,000
during fiscal year 2021-22 and $56,000,000 during fiscal year 2022-23 from the Liquor
Operation Revenue Fund, established in Title 30-A, section 6054, subsection 1, to the
unappropriated surplus of the General Fund.
Sec. 2. Transfer from General Fund unappropriated surplus to
Department of Health and Human Services, General Assistance.
Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, on or before June 30, 2022, the State
Controller shall transfer $10,000,000 from the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund
to the Department of Health and Human Services, General Assistance, Other Special
Revenue Funds account for the purpose of a one-time, supplemental payment for the
unanticipated fiscal and operational costs to the general assistance program during the
COVID-19 pandemic. The department shall distribute funds under this section
proportionally to each municipality and federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or band
in the State based on the general assistance costs incurred by that municipality or federally
recognized Indian nation, tribe or band in the State during fiscal year 2020-21. A
municipality or federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or band in the State may use funds
received under this section to offset potential reductions in federal funding in fiscal year
2022-23, potential reductions in funding related to the end of the public health emergency
and other unanticipated costs incurred by the municipality or federally recognized Indian
nation, tribe or band in the State during the COVID-19 pandemic. The department shall
distribute funds under this section as a lump-sum distribution to each municipality and
federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or band in the State.
Sec. 3. Review of general assistance program. The Department of Health and
Human Services shall review long-term improvements to the general assistance program.
Page 1 - 130LR0284(05)
 Sec. 4. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF
General Assistance - Reimbursement to Cities and Towns 0130
Initiative: Provides one-time allocation for supplemental payments to municipalities for the
unanticipated fiscal and operational costs of the general assistance program related to the
COVID-19 pandemic.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 2021-22 2022-23
All Other $0 $10,000,000
__________ __________
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL $0 $10,000,000
Page 2 - 130LR0284(05)


Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 910, HP 666: 22.4311