The New England welfare compact is hereby enacted into law and entered into with all other jurisdictions legally joining therein in the form substantially as follows:
NEW ENGLAND WELFARE COMPACT
ARTICLE I. — POLICY, PURPOSE AND SCOPE
ARTICLE II. — WELFARE SERVICE DEFINED
ARTICLE III. — PROVISION OF SERVICE
(a) No person who has removed himself or herself from his or her place of abode in one party state to another party state shall be ineligible for a welfare service in such other party state because of failure to meet that state's residence requirements for eligibility. However, if a person is already receiving a welfare service at the time he or she removes himself or herself from his or her place of abode to another party state and if he or she continues to be in need of such service, the party state from which he or she removes himself or herself shall be obligated to bear the cost of such service for ninety (90) days from the date of his or her removal. In any such case, the party state to which the person removes himself or herself shall not be obligated to provide the service at its own expense during such ninety (90)-day period. The cost of providing a welfare service to any person made eligible therefor by reason of this compact shall be charged within a state in accordance with the laws of such state.
(b) The appropriate official, department or agency of the state where application for a welfare service is made pursuant to this compact shall be entitled to request and receive any pertinent information available from any other party state with respect to such applicant.
ARTICLE IV. — EXCEPTIONS AND LIMITATIONS
(a) Invalidate any agreement between a party state and a nonparty state relating to the provision neither of welfare services nor to invalidate any statutory authority for such agreements.
(b) Obligate a party state to provide a welfare service pursuant to this compact, which it does not provide to its own residents.
ARTICLE V. — COMPACT ADMINISTRATOR
ARTICLE VI. — ENACTMENT AND WITHDRAWAL
(a) This compact shall be open to membership by the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It shall enter into full force and effect as to any two (2) or more of the aforementioned states upon enactment thereof by such states.
(b) A state party to this compact may withdraw therefrom by enacting a statute repealing the same. Such withdrawal shall take effect six (6) months after notice thereof has been communicated officially and, in writing, to the governors and compact administrators of all other party states. However, the withdrawal of any state shall not affect the rights of any person who is receiving a welfare service pursuant to the provisions of this compact.
ARTICLE VII. — CONSTRUCTION AND SEVERABILITY
History of Section.
P.L. 1965, ch. 105, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 40-9.1-1; Reorg. Plan No. 1, 1970.