CHAPTER 116

H.P. 784 - L.D. 1066

Resolve, To Establish a Committee To Examine Issues

Relating to the Administration of Municipal General

Assistance

Sec. 1. General assistance committee established. Resolved: That the Department of Human Services shall convene a general assistance committee, referred to in this resolve as "the committee," composed of persons interested in the administration of municipal general assistance. The committee must include, but is not limited to, representatives of the Department of Human Services, the Maine Municipal Association, municipal general assistance administrators and persons with low incomes; and be it further

Sec. 2. Committee duties. Resolved: That the committee shall examine and make recommendations regarding the following issues:

1. Whether the administration of municipal general assistance can be simplified and access to general assistance for those in need can be improved;

2. The potential for regional general assistance offices, cooperative agreements among towns and other initiatives to reduce administrative costs of providing municipal general assistance and to improve access to general assistance;

3. Ways in which federal housing assistance can be maximized to assist low-income residents of the State. The committee shall meet with representatives of federal and state housing agencies to evaluate whether fair market rents, as established by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, are representative of the rental market in each region of the State. If the committee determines that the fair