AUGUSTA — The House on Wednesday gave its initial approval to a bill that would allow areas of rural Maine struggling with high unemployment to maintain federal food assistance. The party-line vote on LD 1052 was 79-65.

Starting in 2008, Maine took advantage of a waiver the federal government made available to address high unemployment caused by the recession. Typically, there is a three-month limit on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program assistance, commonly known as food stamps, for 18- to 49-year-old able-bodied adults without dependents before a weekly 20-hour requirement goes into effect.

LD 1052, An Act to Feed Rural Citizens of the State, would direct the Department of Health and Human Services to seek the federal waiver for labor market areas with high unemployment. It’s likely that Aroostook, Washington, Piscataquis and Somerset counties would qualify for the waiver under the bill, along with communities including Farmington, Lincoln, Millinocket, Pittsfield, Rumford.

Greater Portland is responsible for much of Maine’s jobs growth, accounting for roughly four out of five new jobs. But some areas of the state have unemployment rates much higher – sometimes more than double – that of Cumberland County.

“No one decides that they’d rather have $100 worth of food stamps than a job,” said Rep. Paul Gilbert, D-Jay, who had a long career as a state job service manager before his retirement. “No one benefits when Mainers struggle to meet basic needs like food. This bill takes a commonsense, targeted approach to keep people afloat so they can get back on their feet.”

This year, 42 states, including all the other New England states, accepted the federal waiver.

But the Maine Department of Health and Human Services rejected it, causing 9,000 Mainers to lose their food assistance.

The bill faces further action in the House and Senate.