The department shall use municipal reports, data from the statewide online database required under section 4323, subsection 6 and other metrics to generate a general assistance report to be submitted to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over general assistance matters no later than January 30, 2026 and no later than January 30th of each odd-numbered calendar year thereafter. The initial report must include recommendations regarding a potential extension of the general assistance eligibility period beyond the 30-day limit established in section 4310, subsection 4. All reports must include metrics for: the number of individuals and families who received funds; the basic necessities for which those funds were provided; the length of time those funds were received; which municipalities accessed technical assistance and the number of times that technical assistance was requested, including instances outside of normal business hours; the type of technical assistance municipalities required; the number of calls to the department's general assistance hotline; and the number and content of complaints received and additional metrics as determined necessary by the department. The report must also include data illustrating municipal poverty levels, or regional or county poverty data when municipal-level poverty data is unavailable, and data regarding the use of other public benefit programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program in each municipality. [PL 2023, c. 575, §7 (NEW).]
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