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An Act To Ensure Transparency in the Distribution of Federal Block Grant Funds
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22-A MRSA §211-A  is enacted to read:
§ 211-A. Federal block grant funds expenditure plan
Annually, the department shall develop and submit to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs a proposed plan for expenditures of federal block grant funds. The plan must include a description of current expenditures of federal block grant funds and how the department proposes to change any expenditure, including, but not limited to, how the department proposes to reduce or remove funding for existing approved services. The department may not make an expenditure from any federal block grant unless the expenditure is recommended by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs and approved by the Legislature, except that, if the Legislature is not in session, upon a determination by the commissioner that an expenditure is necessary to avert an emergency and with 60 days' notice to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs, the department may make an expenditure that has not been approved by the Legislature.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services annually to develop and submit to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs proposed plans for expenditures of federal block grant funds including a description of current expenditures of federal block grant funds and how the department proposes to change any expenditure. Under the bill, the department may not make an expenditure from any federal block grant unless the expenditure is recommended by the joint standing committee and approved by the Legislature. When the Legislature is not in session, the department may make an expenditure if the Commissioner of Health and Human Services determines that the expenditure is necessary to avert an emergency and provides 60 days' notice to the joint standing committee.