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An Act To Improve the Administration of the Child Care Subsidy Program and To Prevent Erroneous Termination of Child Care Services
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §3736, sub-§§3 and 4  are enacted to read:
 
3.  Extension.     If an applicant, for circumstances beyond the reasonable control of that applicant, is unable to comply with a time requirement or other eligibility rules of a child care program administered under this chapter, the department shall provide for a reasonable extension of time or a modification of the application of the rules, as appropriate to the applicant's circumstances, to allow that applicant to qualify as eligible.
 
4.  Reduction or termination of services.     A person whose child care services provided pursuant to this chapter are reduced or terminated must be afforded a reasonable opportunity, prior to the reduction or termination of services, for a fair hearing and final agency determination of child care program eligibility. This subsection does not apply when the child care services are being reduced or terminated due to a reduction in program funding.
 
SUMMARY
This bill amends the program that provides child care services to persons who meet certain income eligibility requirements to require the Department of Health and Human Services to:
1. Allow an applicant who is unable to comply a reasonable extension of time to meet the requirements or a modification of the application of eligibility rules; and
2. Prior to reducing or terminating the child care services provided to a person, provide the person an opportunity for a hearing and final agency determination, except when the reduction or termination is due to a loss of program funding.