Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4306, as enacted by PL 1983, c. 577, §1, is amended to read:

§4306. Records; confidentiality of information

The overseer shall keep complete and accurate records pertaining to general assistance, including the names of eligible persons assisted and the amounts paid for their assistance. Records, papers, files and communications relating to an applicant or recipient made or received by persons charged with responsibility of administering this chapter are confidential and no information relating to a person who is an applicant or recipient may be disclosed to the general public, unless expressly permitted by that person. This section does not prevent disclosure to a law enforcement officer, emergency responder or municipal official acting in an official capacity.

Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §4307, sub-§4, ¶B, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 349, Pt. H, §15, is amended to read:

B. If an applicant is in a group home, shelter, rehabilitation center, nursing home, hospital or other institution at the time of application and has either been in that institution for 6 months or less, or had a residence immediately prior to entering the institution which he had maintained and to which he intends to return, the municipality of responsibility shall be the municipality where the applicant was a resident immediately prior to entering the institution. For the purpose of this paragraph and paragraphs C and D, a hotel, motel or similar place of temporary lodging is considered an institution when a municipality:

(1) Grants financial assistance for a person to move to or stay in temporary lodging;

(2) Makes arrangements for a person to stay in temporary lodging;

(3) Advises or encourages a person to stay in temporary lodging; or

(4) Illegally denies housing assistance and, as a result of that denial, the person stays in temporary lodging.

The applicant is the responsibility of the municipality that undertakes any of the actions in subparagraphs (1) to (4)