AUGUSTA — A group of lawmakers from Maine’s largest cities opposed a new, two-year state budget that makes it easier to deny financial help to asylum-seeking immigrants. During a series of floor speeches late Tuesday night, lawmakers from Lewiston, Bangor and Portland decried the rejection of changes in the state budget that would have allowed […]
welfare
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Emotions high as Lewiston mulls general assistance policy for asylees
LEWISTON — Councilors will take their time deciding how to handle General Assistance welfare payments to asylum-seekers, thanks to a tearful testimony from a Somali refugee. Fatuma Hussein, director of United Somali Women of Maine, said she was not an asylum-seeker when she came to Maine, but she understands their plight. She escaped a dangerous […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine House OKs budget deal that includes tax cuts, welfare reform
AUGUSTA — A two-year state $6.6 billion budget deal tentatively agreed to by Maine’s top Democratic and Republican lawmakers and awaiting votes in the Legislature will include income tax cuts and welfare reforms but not to the extent Republican Gov. Paul LePage wanted. Lawmakers did accept some of LePage’s budget proposals including the elimination of the […]
Posted inMaine
House GOP: Immigrant welfare sticking point in Maine budget
AUGUSTA – How much Maine spends helping poor and unemployed immigrants is emerging as a key sticking point in state budget negotiations between Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature. A top Republican budget-writer and one of the four House lawmakers in the minority on the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee said conservatives are looking to cap current […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Work waiver for some food stamp users passes Maine House
AUGUSTA — Maine’s Democratic-controlled House of Representatives backed a bill Wednesday to waive work requirements for some food stamp recipients, but the measure doesn’t appear to have enough support to survive a near certain veto from Republican Gov. Paul LePage. Since October, healthy adults without children have had to work at least 20 hours a week, […]
Posted inMaine
Maine Senate approves 9-month limit on General Assistance
AUGUSTA — A bill that limits city-run General Assistance welfare benefits to nine months for childless people who are capable of working cleared the Maine Senate on a bipartisan, 24-11 vote Thursday. The bill, LD 1035, sponsored by state Sen. Eric Brakey, R-Auburn, also gained the backing of Lewiston city officials. The measure allows a […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Health committee Dems reject LePage’s call to drug test all TANF recipients
AUGUSTA — Democrats who hold a majority on the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee voted on Wednesday to reject a bill from Gov. Paul LePage to drug test everyone who receives cash benefits in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. LePage spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said the vote indicates that Democrats are “not serious […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
LePage wants to screen all TANF recipients for drugs
AUGUSTA — ’s plan to prevent anyone with a felony drug conviction from collecting cash welfare benefits advanced Monday in Augusta with a bill that would extend a program launched earlier this year. In January, LePage and his administration began administering drug tests on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families applicants who have had felony drug […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Gov. LePage wants to dramatically expand drug testing of welfare recipients
PORTLAND (AP) — Gov. Paul LePage wants to further crack down on drug use by welfare recipients by eliminating food stamps and cash payments to families for recipients with a drug conviction. He also wants to require screenings that could result in drug testing for all participants in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Maine
Lewiston lawmaker wants to limit cash withdrawals of welfare benefits
LEWISTON — A Lewiston Democrat is offering a bill that would limit the amount of cash welfare recipients could withdraw on state-issued electronic benefit transfer cards to 25 percent of their monthly benefit amount. The bill, LD 1097, proposed by state Sen. Nate Libby, also would restrict the use of Maine-issued EBT cards to Maine […]