The Corporation shall seek to ensure that a grantee providing legal assistance to eligible clients: maintains the highest quality of service and professional standards; preserves attorney-client relationships; and protects the integrity of the adversary process from any impairment.

Each application for legal assistance shall be in writing and accompanied by an affidavit stating that the information contained in the application is true and correct.

The Corporation shall establish maximum income levels for client eligibility. The income levels shall be based on the financial ability of a client to pay for competent private counsel and all other necessary expenses of representation. The maximum income levels established under this section and eligibility guidelines established by each grantee to implement this section shall take into consideration: the size of the client’s family; cost of living variations, including differences between urban and rural areas; the assets and income of the client; the fixed debts and medical expenses of the client; and other factors relevant to the client’s ability to pay for the legal services the client requires. The Corporation may not set the maximum income levels for eligibility under this section at a level greater than 50% of the median family income for the State as certified annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, information subject to the attorney-client privilege is confidential and may not be disclosed to any person unless the privilege is waived by the client or a court orders the disclosure.

In this section, “Program” means the Affordable Life, Wills, and Estate Planning for Seniors Grant Program. There is an Affordable Life, Wills, and Estate Planning for Seniors Grant Program in the Corporation. The purpose of the Program is to provide eligible seniors access to affordable civil law–related services. The provision of services under the Program shall be in accordance with this title. The Program shall provide: an intake method, which may include a referral hotline, to screen clients by eligibility and by legal need; an outreach method for matching eligible clients to a grantee under Subtitle 5 of this title; and a grant program to fund grantees representing eligible clients, particularly in rural communities, when no other attorneys are readily available. The Corporation shall publicize the Program, including in rural communities. The Program shall provide eligible clients with legal services concerning primarily: last will and testaments; powers of attorney; special needs trusts; advance health care directives; and life estate deeds. The Corporation may contract with a grantee to provide all or part of the services required under this section. The Governor shall include in the annual budget an appropriation of $225,000 for the Program. In addition to the funds made available for the Program under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Corporation may seek funds from any other source to aid in the administration of the Program. On or before December 1 each year, beginning in 2023, the Corporation shall report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly on the implementation and utilization of the Program.