128th MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 1774 LR 2747(01)
An Act To Reduce Child Poverty by Leveraging Investments in Families for Tomorrow
Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement for Original Bill
Sponsor: Spkr. Gideon of Freeport
Committee: Health and Human Services
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement
FY 2017-18 FY 2018-19 Projections  FY 2019-20 Projections  FY 2020-21
Appropriations/Allocations
Federal Expenditures Fund $0 $2,212,313 $4,337,232 $4,340,300
Federal Block Grant Fund $0 $13,656,016 $17,147,184 $17,153,320
Revenue
Federal Expenditures Fund $0 $2,212,313 $4,337,232 $4,340,300
Federal Block Grant Fund $0 $13,656,016 $17,147,184 $17,153,320
Fiscal Detail and Notes
The Department of Health and Human Services will require Federal Expenditures Fund allocations of $2,212,313 in fiscal year 2018-19 for a food supplement employment and training program to provide education, training and support services to eligible adults who are food supplement benefit recipients.

The bill allows for eligible individuals to receive assistance from a Working Families Parents as Scholars Program up to the cap of 2,000 currently allowed in the Parents as Scholars (PaS) program in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Currently, the TANF program has, on average, 60 individuals in the program, so this bill could allow an additional 1,940 individuals to receive assistance. The most recent available data identifies just over 400,000 individuals at or below 199% of the FPL compared to the TANF population of 10,500. Based on that information it is not unreasonable to expect that this bill will increase overall PaS membership to the 2,000 member cap, and that is the assumption used for this analysis. Thus, the Department of Health and Human Services will require Federal Block Grant Fund allocations of $13,656,016 in fiscal year 2018-19 for a Working Families PaS Program available to persons with minor children who do not qualify for cash assistance under the TANF program, who have incomes at or below 185% of the federal poverty level and who are pursuing a postsecondary degree, industry-recognized certificate or similar credential.