Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3109 is enacted to read:

§3109.__United States citizenship test fee

The department shall pay the United States citizenship test fee for a qualified low-income resident of the State who is seeking United States citizenship.__A low-income person qualifies under this section if the person qualifies to take the exam and has been a resident of the State for at least one year and the person's income falls below the median income of the State.

Sec. 2. Department rules. The Department of Human Services shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this Act. The rules must provide that the department assist an applicant in applying for a fee waiver provided by the Federal Government and that the State pay the citizenship test fee directly to the federal agency responsible for administering the United States citizenship test. The rules must also develop a process that is most cost-effective for the State and simple as possible for the applicant. Rules adopted pursuant to this Act are major substantive rules pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

SUMMARY

This bill directs the Department of Human Services to pay the United States citizenship test fee for a low-income person seeking United States citizenship who has been a resident of the State for at least one year and whose income is below the median income of the State. This bill also directs the department to adopt rules to implement this provision, including that the department assist an applicant in filing for a fee waiver from the Federal Government and that the State pay the citizenship test fee directly to the Federal Government. The rules must also develop a process that is most cost-effective for the State and simple as possible for the applicant.