An Act To Facilitate Recovery of Debts Owed to the State for Indigent Legal Services
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §5276-A, sub-§8, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 501, Pt. B, §21, is amended to read:
8. Disclosure of information. In any civil or criminal action in which a fine, forfeiture, order to pay or money judgment is entered in favor of the State or any agency or department thereof, or in any action in which counsel is appointed assigned for an indigent party, the court may require the party so indebted to the State, its agencies or department, or the party for whom counsel has been appointed assigned, to provide that party's social security number and other financial information under oath and on such forms as may be prepared by the Judicial Department in order to effectuate the purposes of this section. The Judicial Department may disclose social security numbers and financial information obtained in accordance with this subsection to agencies or departments of the State and to private collection agencies working under contract for the State for the purpose of collection of the amounts owed.
summary
The purpose of this bill is to aid the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services in the collection of amounts owed to the commission for legal services. This bill authorizes the Judicial Department to disclose social security numbers and financial information to agencies or departments of the State, including the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services, and to private collection agencies working under contract for the State for the purpose of collection of the amounts owed.