An Act To Revitalize The Maine Temporary Assistance For Needy Families Advisory Council

LD 85 updates Maine's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Advisory Council by clarifying its advisory role to include all TANF recipients (not just cash beneficiaries) and establishing a requirement that members attend at least two meetings annually or face removal. The bill eliminates the prior mandate for a separate postsecondary education subcommittee while authorizing council members who aren't paid by their employers for their service to receive up to the legislative per diem rate for their time and reimbursement for expenses like meals, childcare, and travel. This directly affects the council’s 15-member composition (including TANF recipients, employers, labor, and education representatives) and the 100,000+ TANF recipients whose programs the council advises on. The changes aim to improve council functionality and member participation without altering TANF program benefits.