Sec. S-1. 19-A MRSA §2402, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 694, Pt. B, §2 and affected by Pt. E, §2 and amended by PL 1997, c. 530, Pt. A, §34, is further amended to read:
All collections, fees and incentive payments received by the department from child support collections must be dedicated to reduce the State's General Fund share of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and to cover the costs of making such collections. The department may not expend more than $2,654,000 $2,786,700 in any fiscal year of incentive payment revenue for the purpose of covering the costs of making child support collections.
Sec. S-2. 22 MRSA §3104-A, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 731, §1 and affected by §3, is repealed.
Sec. S-3. 22 MRSA §3762, sub-§3, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 530, Pt. A, §16, is amended by amending subparagraph (7) to read:
(7) In determining benefit levels for TANF recipients living in Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Waldo and York counties who have earnings from employment, the department shall disregard from monthly earnings the following:
(i) One hundred and fifty eight dollars;
(ii) Fifty percent of the remaining earnings that are less than the federal poverty level; and
(iii) All actual child care costs necessary for work, except that the department may limit the child care disregard to $175 per month per child, or $200 per month per child under 2 years of age or with special needs.
The monthly benefit is the lower of the maximum payment level or the difference between the countable earnings and the standard of need.
Assistance provided under this subparagraph may not be paid for with federal funds provided under the United States Social Security Act, Title IV-A, provided that the state funds used for this subparagraph may be counted, without penalty, towards the State's federal maintenance of effort requirement.
The department shall evaluate the impact of calculating the earned income disregard in accordance with this subparagraph and shall report its findings to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters by February 15, 2000.
Sec. S-4. 22 MRSA §3769-B, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 643, Pt. VV, §1, is amended to read:
§3769-B. Assistance in meeting basic needs
Beginning July 1, 1998 and ending June 30, 1999, the department shall increase the maximum amount of TANF assistance by an amount equal to 5% of the maximum payments that were in effect on January 1, 1998 and shall increase the standard of need to maintain the same differential between the maximum payment and the standard of need that was in effect on January 1, 1998.
Beginning July 1, 1999, the department shall increase the maximum amount of TANF assistance by an amount equal to 5% of the maximum payments that were in effect on July 1, 1998 for assistance units with no earned income disregard and shall increase the standard of need to maintain the same differential between the maximum payment and the standard of need that was in effect on January 1, 1998.
1. Limitation. The assistance increase required by this section does not apply to assistance units with earned income disregarded pursuant to department rule or section 3762, subsection 3, paragraph B, subparagraph (7).
2. Determination of eligibility. In determining eligibility for TANF benefits for applicants after July 1, 1998, the department shall use the gross income pretest in effect on January 1, 1998.
3. Coordination with special housing allowance. The assistance increase required by this section does not decrease the special housing allowance payment under section 3762, subsection 3, paragraph B, subparagraph (6) to assistance units that have received the special housing allowance without interruption since June 1998.
Revisor of Statutes Homepage | Subject Index | Search | Laws of Maine | Maine Legislature |