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An Act To Require Direct Payment to Child Care Centers
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3735,  as amended by PL 1997, c. 530, Pt. A, §13, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
§ 3735.  Child care for ASPIRE-TANF participants
 
1.  Information regarding child care.     The department shall ensure that all persons referred for participation in the State's ASPIRE-TANF program receive information regarding child care options from caseworkers who are knowledgeable about the range of child care subsidies available in this State and who can explain the relative advantages of each option. This may be done directly by the department or by the department's designee.
 
2.  Transitional child care benefits.     With regard to transitional child care benefits payable on behalf of a parent who is transitioning off the ASPIRE-TANF program, the department, when paying for child care, shall make payment payable directly to the child care provider or facility that provided the care.
 
3.  Overpayments.     With regard to overpayments recovered by the State beginning January 1, 2004, the department shall first pay any child care provider or facility that is owed reimbursement for child care services for the ASPIRE-TANF participant from whom the overpayment is recovered.
 
SUMMARY
This bill makes payment for child care benefits for a person transitioning off the ASPIRE-TANF program payable directly to the child care provider or facility that provided the child care and provides a mechanism for paying for child care services for which reimbursement is owed.