Bill Text: IA HF2030 | 2019-2020 | 88th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to public assistance program oversight and verification of income eligibility.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-01-23 - Subcommittee Meeting: 01/28/2020 8:30AM House Lounge. [HF2030 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2019-HF2030-Introduced.html
House
File
2030
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
2030
BY
WILLS
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
public
assistance
program
oversight
and
1
verification
of
income
eligibility.
2
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
3
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Section
1.
NEW
SECTION
.
249O.1
Definitions.
1
As
used
in
this
chapter,
unless
the
context
otherwise
2
requires:
3
1.
“Department”
means
the
department
of
human
services.
4
2.
“Fleeing
felon”
means
a
person
who
is
a
fleeing
felon
5
pursuant
to
7
C.F.R.
273.11.
6
3.
“Public
assistance”
shall
include
but
is
not
limited
to
7
the
Medicaid
program,
the
family
investment
program,
and
the
8
supplemental
nutrition
assistance
program.
9
4.
“Significant
discrepancy”
means
information
regarding
10
the
assets,
income,
resources,
or
status
of
an
applicant
or
11
recipient
of
public
assistance,
derived
from
one
or
more
of
the
12
databases
as
specified
in
this
chapter,
which
provides
grounds
13
for
the
department
to
suspect
either
of
the
following:
14
a.
An
applicant
or
recipient
is
ineligible
to
receive
public
15
assistance,
under
federal
or
state
law,
due
to
the
applicant’s
16
or
recipient’s
status.
17
b.
The
assets,
income,
or
resources
of
an
applicant
18
or
recipient
are
at
least,
in
terms
of
a
dollar
amount,
19
twenty-five
percent
greater
than
the
dollar
amount
reflected
in
20
the
information
the
department
possesses
about
the
applicant
21
or
recipient
with
respect
to
the
applicant’s
or
recipient’s
22
assets,
income,
or
resources.
23
5.
“Status”
means
whether
the
applicant
or
recipient
is
in
24
the
United
States
illegally,
is
no
longer
living,
is
an
inmate
25
in
a
prison
or
jail,
or
is
a
fleeing
felon.
26
Sec.
2.
NEW
SECTION
.
249O.2
Public
Assistance
Programs
——
27
Verification
of
Eligibility.
28
1.
The
department
shall
implement
a
computerized
income
29
eligibility
verification
system
for
public
assistance
programs
30
in
order
to
eliminate
duplication
in
the
provision
of
public
31
assistance
and
to
deter
fraud.
32
2.
The
department
shall
require
that
as
a
condition
of
33
receiving
public
assistance,
an
applicant
or
a
recipient
supply
34
the
social
security
number
of
the
applicant
or
recipient
to
the
35
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department.
The
department
shall
match
the
social
security
1
number
of
all
applicants
and
recipients
with
the
following
2
databases,
or
with
databases
that
are
substantially
similar
to,
3
or
are
successors
of,
the
following
databases:
4
a.
Unearned
income
information
maintained
by
the
federal
5
internal
revenue
service.
6
b.
Employer
quarterly
reports
of
income
and
unemployment
7
insurance
benefit
payment
information
maintained
by
the
8
department
of
workforce
development.
9
c.
Earned
income
information
maintained
by
the
United
States
10
social
security
administration.
11
d.
Immigration
status
information
maintained
by
the
United
12
States
citizenship
and
immigration
services.
13
e.
Death
register
information
maintained
by
the
United
14
States
social
security
administration.
15
f.
Prisoner
information
maintained
by
the
United
States
16
social
security
administration.
17
g.
Public
housing
and
United
States
department
of
housing
18
and
urban
development
section
8
guidelines
payment
information
19
maintained
by
the
United
States
department
of
housing
and
urban
20
development.
21
h.
National
fleeing
felon
information
maintained
by
the
22
United
States
federal
bureau
of
investigation.
23
i.
Wage
reporting
and
similar
information
maintained
by
24
contiguous
states.
25
j.
The
beneficiary
earnings
and
data
exchange
database
26
maintained
by
the
United
States
social
security
administration.
27
k.
The
beneficiary
earnings
exchange
record
system
database
28
maintained
by
the
United
States
social
security
administration.
29
l.
The
new
hire
database
maintained
by
the
department
of
30
workforce
development.
31
m.
The
new
hire
database
maintained
by
the
federal
32
government.
33
n.
The
state
data
exchange
interface
maintained
by
the
34
United
States
social
security
administration.
35
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o.
The
public
assistance
reporting
information
system
1
maintained
by
the
administration
of
children
and
families
of
2
the
United
States
department
of
health
and
human
services.
3
p.
The
state
child
care
assistance
database
maintained
by
4
the
state.
5
q.
The
low-income
home
energy
assistance
program
database
6
maintained
by
the
state.
7
3.
The
department
shall
enter
into
a
memorandum
of
8
understanding
with
any
department
or
any
subunit
of
a
9
department,
as
necessary,
to
obtain
the
information
specified
10
in
subsection
1.
11
4.
Notwithstanding
any
provision
of
law
to
the
contrary,
the
12
income
eligibility
verification
system
shall
be
utilized
for
an
13
applicant
at
the
time
of
application
for
assistance,
and
for
a
14
recipient
on
a
quarterly
basis.
15
5.
The
department
shall
notify
applicants
and
recipients
of
16
the
requirement
of
providing
a
social
security
number
at
the
17
time
of
application
for
assistance
and
as
needed
thereafter
and
18
pursuant
to
the
provisions
of
this
chapter.
19
Sec.
3.
NEW
SECTION
.
249O.3
Significant
discrepancy.
20
1.
If,
as
the
result
of
a
match
between
an
applicant’s
21
or
recipient’s
social
security
number
and
one
or
more
of
the
22
databases
specified
in
this
chapter,
the
department
determines
23
that
a
potential
significant
discrepancy
exists,
the
department
24
shall
review
the
applicant’s
or
recipient’s
information
25
and
shall
investigate
the
circumstances
of
the
potential
26
significant
discrepancy
in
order
to
determine
eligibility
of
27
the
applicant
or
recipient.
28
2.
The
department
shall
institute
the
following
procedure
29
to
review
and
investigate
the
circumstances
of
a
potential
30
significant
discrepancy:
31
a.
If
the
review
and
investigation
does
not
result
in
the
32
department
confirming
a
significant
discrepancy
that
may
affect
33
eligibility,
the
department
shall
take
no
further
action.
34
b.
If
the
review
and
investigation
results
in
the
department
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confirming
a
potential
significant
discrepancy
that
may
affect
1
eligibility,
the
applicant
or
recipient
shall
be
given
an
2
opportunity
to
explain
the
potential
significant
discrepancy.
3
The
department
shall
provide
written
notice
to
the
applicant
4
or
recipient
which
shall
describe
in
sufficient
detail
the
5
circumstances
of
the
potential
significant
discrepancy,
the
6
opportunity
and
manner
by
which
to
resolve
the
potential
7
significant
discrepancy,
and
the
consequences
of
failing
to
8
respond
to
the
notice
or
to
resolve
the
potential
significant
9
discrepancy.
The
applicant’s
or
recipient’s
response
may
be
10
provided
telephonically,
in
person,
or
in
writing.
After
11
receiving
the
explanation
from
the
applicant
or
recipient,
the
12
department
may
request
additional
documentation
in
person
or
13
in
writing
if
the
department
determines
the
documentation
is
14
inadequate
or
that
a
substantial
risk
of
fraud
exists.
15
(1)
If
the
applicant
or
recipient
does
not
respond
to
16
the
notice
in
a
timely
manner,
the
department
shall
provide
17
notice
to
terminate
the
applicant’s
or
recipient’s
application
18
or
enrollment,
based
upon
the
applicant’s
or
recipient’s
19
failure
to
cooperate,
and
shall
terminate
the
applicant’s
or
20
recipient’s
application
for
or
enrollment
in
any
applicable
21
public
assistance
program.
The
applicant’s
or
recipient’s
22
eligibility
for
such
public
assistance
program
shall
not
be
23
reestablished
until
the
potential
significant
discrepancy
is
24
resolved.
25
(2)
If
the
applicant
or
recipient
responds
to
the
notice
26
in
a
timely
manner
and
disagrees
with
the
notice
of
potential
27
significant
discrepancy,
the
department
shall
reevaluate
the
28
circumstances
and
make
a
determination
regarding
whether
the
29
position
of
the
applicant
or
recipient
is
valid.
If,
after
30
reevaluation,
the
department
finds
that
the
department
is
in
31
error,
the
department
shall
take
immediate
action
to
correct
32
the
error,
and
no
further
action
regarding
the
applicant’s
33
or
recipient’s
eligibility
shall
be
taken.
If,
through
the
34
reevaluation,
the
department
affirms
that
the
applicant’s
or
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recipient’s
position
is
invalid,
the
department
shall
determine
1
the
effect
on
the
applicant’s
or
recipient’s
eligibility
and
2
take
appropriate
action.
Written
notice
of
the
department’s
3
reevaluation
and
the
actions
taken
shall
be
provided
to
the
4
applicant
or
recipient.
5
(3)
If
the
applicant
or
recipient
responds
to
the
notice
6
in
a
timely
manner
and
agrees
with
the
notice
of
potential
7
significant
discrepancy,
the
department
shall
determine
the
8
effect
on
the
applicant’s
or
recipient’s
eligibility
and
9
take
appropriate
action.
Written
notice
of
the
department’s
10
determination
and
actions
shall
be
provided
to
the
applicant
11
or
recipient.
12
3.
The
department
may,
in
the
department’s
discretion,
13
review
and
investigate
an
applicant’s
or
recipient’s
14
circumstances
when
there
is
a
match
between
the
social
security
15
number
of
the
applicant
or
recipient
and
one
or
more
of
the
16
databases
specified
in
this
chapter
that
does
not
otherwise
17
constitute
a
significant
discrepancy.
Under
such
circumstance,
18
the
department
shall
utilize
the
procedure
applicable
to
the
19
review
and
investigation
of
a
potential
significant
discrepancy
20
as
specified
in
this
chapter.
21
4.
The
department
shall
establish
a
single
statewide
22
toll-free
telephone
number
and
call
center
to
be
used
by
23
applicants
and
recipients
in
resolving
potential
significant
24
discrepancies
subject
to
review
and
investigation
under
this
25
chapter.
The
call
center
shall
have
sufficient
capacity
26
and
staff
to
promptly
handle
incoming
telephone
calls.
In
27
addition,
the
department
shall
assign
sufficient
staff
to
28
make
determinations
regarding
eligibility
pursuant
to
this
29
chapter.
The
call
center
shall
use
available
technology
to
30
route
and
track
the
calls.
The
department
may
issue
a
request
31
for
proposals
to
operate
the
call
center.
32
Sec.
4.
NEW
SECTION
.
249O.4
Reporting
fraud.
33
If,
through
the
department’s
activities
under
this
chapter,
34
the
department
discovers
potential
fraudulent
activity,
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the
department
shall
report
its
findings
and
any
supportive
1
information
to
the
department
of
inspections
and
appeals
for
2
review.
3
Sec.
5.
NEW
SECTION
.
249O.5
Administration
——
reporting.
4
1.
The
department
shall
adopt
rules
pursuant
to
chapter
17A
5
to
administer
this
chapter.
6
2.
The
department
shall
submit
a
report
to
the
governor
and
7
the
general
assembly
by
January
15,
2021,
and
by
January
15,
8
annually,
thereafter,
detailing
the
results
of
the
verification
9
system
established
in
this
chapter,
including
the
number
of
10
cases
reviewed,
the
number
of
cases
closed,
and
the
amount
of
11
savings
and
cost
avoidance
realized
from
the
provisions
of
this
12
chapter.
13
3.
a.
The
department
shall
ensure
that
public
assistance
14
staff
maintain
close
contact
with
applicants
and
recipients.
15
Home
visits
shall
be
scheduled
as
frequently
as
required
by
16
the
circumstances
of
the
applicant
or
recipient
in
order
that
17
any
treatment
or
service
tending
to
restore
the
applicant
18
or
recipient
to
a
condition
of
self-support
and
to
relieve
19
distress
is
rendered
and
in
order
that
public
assistance
is
20
provided
only
in
such
an
amount
as
necessary
and
as
long
as
21
necessary.
The
department
may
issue
a
request
for
proposals
22
to
conduct
home
visits.
23
b.
If
public
assistance
staff
identify
inconsistencies
or
24
gaps
in
information
presented
by
an
applicant
or
recipient,
or
25
if
circumstances
indicate
to
a
prudent
individual
that
further
26
information
is
needed,
the
staff
person
shall
seek
additional
27
information.
28
EXPLANATION
29
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
30
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
31
This
bill
relates
to
verification
of
income
eligibility
for
32
public
assistance
programs.
33
The
bill
provides
definitions
for
“department”,
“fleeing
34
felon”,
“public
assistance”,
“significant
discrepancy”,
and
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“status”.
1
The
bill
requires
the
department
of
human
services
(DHS)
2
to
implement
a
computerized
income
eligibility
verification
3
system
for
public
assistance
programs
in
order
to
eliminate
4
duplication
in
the
provision
of
public
assistance
and
to
deter
5
fraud.
The
bill
provides
that
DHS
shall
require
that
as
a
6
condition
of
receiving
public
assistance,
an
applicant
or
7
recipient
supply
the
social
security
number
of
the
applicant
or
8
recipient
to
the
department.
The
department
shall
match
the
9
social
security
number
of
all
applicants
and
recipients
with
10
databases
as
specified
in
the
bill.
The
bill
directs
DHS
to
11
enter
into
a
memorandum
of
understanding
with
any
department
12
or
any
subunit
of
a
department,
as
necessary,
to
obtain
the
13
information
specified.
The
income
eligibility
verification
14
system
shall
be
utilized
for
an
applicant
at
the
time
of
15
application
for
assistance,
and
for
a
recipient
on
a
quarterly
16
basis.
The
bill
requires
DHS
to
notify
applicants
and
17
recipients
of
the
requirement
of
providing
a
social
security
18
number
at
the
time
of
application
for
assistance
and
as
needed
19
thereafter.
20
The
bill
provides
the
procedure
to
be
followed
by
DHS
if,
21
as
the
result
of
a
match
between
an
applicant’s
or
recipient’s
22
social
security
number
and
one
or
more
of
the
databases
23
specified
in
the
bill,
DHS
determines
that
a
potential
24
significant
discrepancy
exists.
In
such
a
case,
DHS
shall
25
review
the
applicant’s
or
recipient’s
information
and
shall
26
investigate
the
circumstances
of
the
potential
significant
27
discrepancy
in
order
to
determine
eligibility
of
the
applicant
28
or
recipient,
and
proceed
accordingly.
In
addition,
DHS
may
29
use
the
same
procedure
in
the
department’s
discretion
to
review
30
and
investigate
an
applicant’s
or
recipient’s
circumstances
31
when
there
is
a
match
between
the
social
security
number
of
32
the
applicant
or
recipient
and
one
or
more
of
the
databases
33
specified
in
the
bill
that
does
not
otherwise
constitute
a
34
significant
discrepancy.
35
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The
bill
directs
DHS
to
establish
a
single
statewide
1
toll-free
telephone
number
and
call
center
to
be
used
by
2
applicants
and
recipients
in
resolving
potential
significant
3
discrepancies
subject
to
review
and
investigation
under
the
4
bill;
requires
the
call
center
to
have
sufficient
capacity
5
and
staff
to
promptly
handle
incoming
telephone
calls;
and
6
requires
DHS
to
assign
sufficient
staff
to
make
determinations
7
regarding
eligibility
under
the
bill.
The
call
center
shall
8
use
available
technology
to
route
and
track
the
calls
and
DHS
9
may
issue
a
request
for
proposals
to
operate
the
call
center.
10
The
bill
also
provides
that
if,
through
activities
under
11
the
bill,
DHS
discovers
potential
fraudulent
activity,
DHS
12
shall
report
its
findings
and
any
supportive
information
to
the
13
department
of
inspections
and
appeals
for
review.
14
The
bill
requires
DHS
to
adopt
administrative
rules
to
15
administer
the
bill;
requires
DHS
to
submit
a
report
to
the
16
governor
and
the
general
assembly
by
January
15,
2021,
and
by
17
January
15,
annually,
thereafter,
detailing
the
results
of
the
18
verification
system
established
in
the
bill;
and
requires
DHS
19
to
ensure
that
public
assistance
staff
maintain
close
contact
20
with
applicants
and
recipients
provide
home
visits
in
order
21
that
any
treatment
or
service
tending
to
restore
the
applicant
22
or
recipient
to
a
condition
of
self-support
and
to
relieve
23
distress
is
rendered
and
in
order
that
public
assistance
is
24
provided
only
in
such
an
amount
as
necessary
and
as
long
as
25
necessary.
The
department
may
issue
a
request
for
proposals
to
26
conduct
home
visits.
The
bill
requires
public
assistance
staff
27
to
seek
additional
information
from
an
applicant
or
recipient
28
when
the
public
assistance
staff
identifies
inconsistencies
or
29
gaps
in
information
presented
by
an
applicant
or
recipient
or
30
when
circumstances
indicate
to
a
prudent
person
that
further
31
information
is
needed.
32
-8-
LSB
5197YH
(5)
88
pf/rh
8/
8
