Resolve, Directing The Department Of Health And Human Services To Evaluate The Municipal General Assistance Program Database

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Alicia Collins and 5 co-sponsors

Directs Maine DHHS to evaluate the Municipal General Assistance Program Database; a nonbinding, low-cost study with no funding, dead in current session.

Pursuant to Joint Rule 310.3 Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)

#administration #database #generalassistance

Overview

LD 637 is a nonbinding resolve that would require the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to evaluate the Municipal General Assistance (GA) Program Database. Sponsored by Rep. Henderson (Rumford) and referred to the Health and Human Services Committee, the measure progressed through several committee steps but was ultimately placed in legislative files and marked as DEAD for the current session.

Purpose and intent

The main goal is to have DHHS examine the Municipal GA Program Database. The available materials do not specify the exact evaluation scope, deliverables, or a required reporting timeline, but the intended outcome is to assess how the database operates across municipalities and identify potential improvements, coordination, or policy implications.

Key provisions (as described in the available materials)

Directs DHHS to evaluate the Municipal GA Program Database.

The text of specific evaluation tasks, performance metrics, or reporting requirements is not provided in the materials available.

No new funding is specified in the fiscal note; any costs associated with conducting the evaluation are described as minor and absorbable within existing DHHS resources.

Note: Because the full bill text is not included in the provided documents, the exact scope, deliverables, and deadlines of the evaluation are not detailed here.

Fiscal impact

Preliminary Fiscal Note (LR1206(01)) indicates a minor cost increase to the General Fund for implementing the provisions.

The fiscal note states that any additional costs would be minor and could be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.

No additional program funding is identified in the fiscal note.

Who is affected

Maine DHHS would carry out the evaluation.

Municipal GA programs, and the offices administering General Assistance at the municipal level, may be involved in data access and coordination for the evaluation.

General Assistance recipients could be affected indirectly if the evaluation leads to changes in how GA data is managed or how programs are coordinated, though the bill itself is a study directive rather than a funding or entitlement change.

Procedural history and current status

Introduced: February 20, 2025 (LR 1206(01)).

Referred to: Committee on Health and Human Services.

Legislative actions: Work sessions held; OTP-AM, ONTP votes recorded; reported Out ONTP; later reconsidered; ultimately placed in Legislative Files (DEAD) pursuant to Joint Rule 310.3 on May 22, 2025.

Prior steps included a carryover to the next special or regular session per Joint Order SP 519 (March 21, 2025).

What this means going forward

In its current form, LD 637 does not move to enact substantive changes and is not active for consideration in the current legislative session.

The concept could be revisited in future sessions. If reintroduced, the bill could specify evaluation scope, deliverables (e.g., a final report to the Legislature), and a timeline for completion.

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