Resolve, To Promote Efficiency and To Streamline Access to the Circuitbreaker Program Application Process

Sec. 1. Examine efficiencies. Resolved: That the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Revenue Services and the Department of Health and Human Services, office of integrated access and support shall jointly examine the potential for gaining administrative efficiencies and reducing the burden on applicants applying for the Maine Residents Property Tax Program, also known as the Circuitbreaker Program. The bureau and the office shall determine whether improvements are possible through use of the Department of Health and Human Services' Automated Client Eligibility System, which currently collects and maintains verified eligibility information for low-income persons for a variety of public programs, and whether the system could be used to determine eligibility for the Circuitbreaker Program, eliminating the redundant application and verification efforts currently undertaken by the 2 agencies with regard to common clients and saving administrative resources by providing a simpler "one-stop-shopping" application process for claimants; and be it further

Sec. 2. Report; legislation. Resolved: That the bureau and the office shall jointly report their findings under section 1, including any costs associated with combining the application processes, to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters by January 15, 2011. The committee may submit legislation related to the report to the First Regular Session of the 125th Legislature.

SUMMARY

This resolve directs the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of Revenue Services and the Department of Health and Human Services, office of integrated access and support to examine opportunities for using the Department of Health and Human Services' Automated Client Eligibility System to determine eligibility for the Maine Residents Property Tax Program. The bureau and the office are directed to submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over taxation matters by January 15, 2011. The committee may submit legislation related to the report.