Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4313, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1993, c. 410, Pt. AAA, §8, is further amended to read:

2. Burial or cremation. In the event of the death of an eligible person, the funeral director shall notify the overseer prior to burial or cremation or by the end of the next business day following the funeral director's receipt of the body, whichever is earlier. Notwithstanding section 4305, subsection 3, paragraph C, a decision on any application for assistance with burial expenses need not be rendered until the overseer has verified that no relative or other resource is available to pay for the direct burial or cremation costs, but the decision must be rendered within 10 2 days after receiving an application. The father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, and children, grandchildren or siblings, by consanguinity, living within or owning real or tangible property within the State, are responsible for the burial or cremation costs of the eligible person in proportion to their respective abilities. When no legally liable relative possesses a financial capacity to pay either in lump sum or on an installment basis for the direct costs of a burial or cremation, the contribution of a municipality under this subsection is limited to a reasonable calculation of the funeral director's direct costs, less any and all contributions from any other source.

SUMMARY

Under current law, when certain eligible people die, a decision on an application to a municipality for assistance with burial or cremation expenses must be rendered within 10 days. This bill reduces the time frame for a decision from 10 to 2 days. In addition, this bill reduces the pool of relatives responsible for burial or cremation costs.