| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4318, 2nd ¶, as amended by PL 1995, c. 462, Pt. A, | §44, is further amended to read: |
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| | Notwithstanding any other provision of law, municipalities | have a lien for the value of all general assistance payments | made to a recipient on any lump sum payment made to that | recipient under the former Workers' Compensation Act, the | Maine Workers' Compensation Act of 1992 or similar law of any | other state after deduction of reasonable attorney's fees and | litigation costs from that lump sum payment. |
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| | Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §4318, 3rd__, as amended by PL 1991, c. 780, Pt. R, | §5, is further amended to read: |
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| | The department shall enter into an agreement with the Social | Security Administration to institute an interim assistance | reimbursement for the purpose of the repayment of state and | local funds expended for providing assistance to Supplemental | Security Income applicants or recipients while the | Supplemental Security Income payments are pending or | suspended. Written authorization must be given by the | recipients and must provide that reimbursement will be made | after deduction of reasonable attorney's fees and litigation | costs. |
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| | This bill provides that reasonable attorney's fees and | litigation costs will be paid when a governmental entity seeks | to recover general assistance benefits from a recipient who is | awarded a lump sum payment under the workers' compensation | laws or who receive federal Supplemental Security Income | payments. |
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