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Amend the bill by adding after section 1 the following:
‘Sec. 2. 22 MRSA §3785, as amended by PL 1997, c. 530, Pt. A, §§20 to 24, is further amended to read:
§ 3785.Sanctions
An individual may not be sanctioned under this program or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families for failure to participate in the ASPIRE-TANF program if that failure to participate is based on good cause. Each individual participating in an ASPIRE-TANF orientation must receive written and oral notice of what constitutes good cause for nonparticipation in ASPIRE-TANF including the domestic violence exception. Good cause for failure to participate in this program must be found when there is reasonable and verifiable evidence of:
 
1. Illness or incapacitation.   The individual's illness, incapacity or advanced age, or the illness or incapacity of a household member, that requires the individual to provide care in the home;
 
2. Sexual harassment.   Sexual harassment at a program-approved component;
 
3. Court-required appearance; incarceration.   Court-required appearance or incarceration;
 
4.  Lack of supportive services.     Lack or breakdown of necessary supportive services such as child care or transportation with no appropriate alternatives available;
 
5.  Inclement weather.     Inclement weather that prevents the individual from traveling to an activity when the weather is severe enough to prevent other individuals from traveling to the same activity;
 
6.  Assignment to another activity.     Assignment by the department to an activity or component that has not been made part of the family contract;
 
7.  Remoteness.     Participation that requires the individual to travel outside the individual's immediate geographic area, defined as an area within a 2-hour round trip commute;
 
8. Crisis or special circumstance.   A crisis or, special circumstance or other reason that the department determines to be good cause that causes an individual to be absent from or discontinue a department activity about which the department has been advised and has determined to constitute good cause, including lack of transportation or child care necessary for participation when the individual does not have reasonable access to that service and the department cannot offer a reasonable alternative to enable the individual to participate; or
 
12.  Other good cause.     Any other reason resulting in failure to participate that is beyond the control of the individual or that a reasonable person would determine to be good cause; or
 
13. Domestic violence.   Inability to participate due to domestic violence when the individual is unable to participate because of physical injuries or the psychological effects of abuse; because of legal proceedings, counseling or other activities related to abuse; because the abuser actively interferes with the individual's participation; because the location puts the individual at risk; or for other good cause related to domestic violence. For the purposes of this subsection, reasonable and verifiable evidence may include but is not limited to the following:
 
A. Court, medical, law enforcement, child protective, social services, psychological or other records that establish that the individual has been a victim of domestic violence; or
 
B. Sworn statements from persons other than the individual with knowledge of the circumstances affecting the individual.
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS)
 
Additional Support for People in Retraining and Employment 0146
 
Initiative: Provides funding to provide Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits and alternative aid benefits to 2-parent families and to increase from $200 to $300 the special housing allowance for families receiving TANF benefits.

FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND	2017-18	2018-19	
All Other	$835,215	$1,113,620	
			
FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND TOTAL	$835,215	$1,113,620	

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families 0138
 
Initiative: Provides funding to provide Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits and alternative aid benefits to 2-parent families and to increase from $200 to $300 the special housing allowance for families receiving TANF benefits.

FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND	2017-18	2018-19	
All Other	$3,488,787	$4,651,717	
			
FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND TOTAL	$3,488,787	$4,651,717	

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF (FORMERLY DHS)			
DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2017-18	2018-19	
			
FEDERAL BLOCK GRANT FUND	$4,324,002	$5,765,337	
			
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$4,324,002	$5,765,337	
 
’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment adds a new section to the bill to remove certain good cause provisions from the laws governing the ASPIRE-TANF program and instead transfer to the Department of Health and Human Services the responsibility to determine other good cause.
The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)