Whenever any poor person without a legal settlement in this state shall become sick in any county in this state, not having income and assets available to pay for medical services, or whenever any poor person without a legal settlement in this state is found in distress in any county in this state and is without income and assets to preclude suffering, it shall be the duty of the county board to furnish such temporary assistance to such person as it shall deem necessary. If any such person shall die, the county board shall provide all necessary means for a decent burial of such person. If such poor person has a legal settlement in another state, the county board may furnish such person, in addition to temporary assistance, transportation and the requisite expenses incurred thereby and may return such poor person to the state in which he or she has legal settlement. The representation by a poor person of a legal settlement shall be verified by the county board and assurance shall be given the board that such poor person will be received and given care in the place of his or her legal settlement. If any poor person without a legal settlement in this state shall apply for general assistance in any county in which he or she is situated, the county board may proceed at its discretion to provide for such poor person in the same manner as it would provide for a poor person with legal settlement in the county.