An Act To Strengthen Penalties for Abuse of General Assistance

Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §4315, first ¶,  as amended by PL 1993, c. 410, Pt. AAA, §9, is further amended to read:

Whoever knowingly and willfully makes any false representation of a material fact to the overseer of any municipality or to the department or its agents for the purpose of causing that or any other person to be granted assistance by the municipality or by the State shall reimburse the municipality for that assistance, is ineligible for assistance for a period of the longer of 120 days and until that reimbursement is made and is guilty of a Class E crime.

Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §4315, 3rd ¶,  as amended by PL 1993, c. 410, Pt. AAA, §9, is further amended to read:

If the fair hearing officer finds that a recipient made a false representation to the overseer in violation of this section, that recipient is required to reimburse the municipality for any assistance rendered for which that recipient was ineligible and is ineligible from receiving further assistance for a period of the longer of 120 days and until that reimbursement is made.

summary

This bill provides that a person who makes a false representation of a material fact to obtain municipal general assistance is ineligible to receive further assistance for a period of the longer of 120 days and until that reimbursement is made. Current law provides for a period of ineligibility of 120 days.