as introduced - 80th Legislature (1997 - 1998) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am
1.1 A bill for an act 1.2 relating to human services; establishing program 1.3 integrity initiatives; providing access to child 1.4 support enforcement central registry; amending 1.5 Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 13.46, subdivision 1.6 2; 13.82, subdivision 1; 13.99, by adding a 1.7 subdivision; 256.01, subdivision 2; 256.017, 1.8 subdivision 2; 256.019; 256.045, subdivision 3; 1.9 256.046; 256.98, subdivisions 1, 3, 4, and 8; 256.983, 1.10 subdivisions 1 and 4; 256.984, subdivision 1; 256.986; 1.11 256.9861, subdivisions 1, 2, 4, and 5; 256.998, by 1.12 adding subdivisions; 256B.056, subdivision 1a; 1.13 256B.057, subdivision 2a; 256D.09, subdivision 6; 1.14 270A.03, subdivision 5; 388.23, subdivision 1; and 1.15 393.07, subdivision 10; proposing coding for new law 1.16 in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256. 1.17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 1.18 ARTICLE 1 1.19 PROGRAM INTEGRITY INITIATIVES 1.20 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 13.46, 1.21 subdivision 2, is amended to read: 1.22 Subd. 2. [GENERAL.] (a) Unless the data is summary data or 1.23 a statute specifically provides a different classification, data 1.24 on individuals collected, maintained, used, or disseminated by 1.25 the welfare system is private data on individuals, and shall not 1.26 be disclosed except: 1.27 (1)pursuantaccording to section 13.05; 1.28 (2)pursuantaccording to court order; 1.29 (3)pursuantaccording to a statute specifically 1.30 authorizing access to the private data; 1.31 (4) to an agent of the welfare system, including a law 2.1 enforcement person, attorney, or investigator acting for it in 2.2 the investigation or prosecution of a criminal or civil 2.3 proceeding relating to the administration of a program; 2.4 (5) to personnel of the welfare system who require the data 2.5 to determine eligibility, amount of assistance, and the need to 2.6 provide services of additional programs to the individual; 2.7 (6) to administer federal funds or programs; 2.8 (7) between personnel of the welfare system working in the 2.9 same program; 2.10 (8) the amounts of cash public assistance and relief paid 2.11 to welfare recipients in this state, including their names, 2.12 social security numbers, income, addresses, and other data as 2.13 required, upon request by the department of revenue to 2.14 administer the property tax refund law, supplemental housing 2.15 allowance, early refund of refundable tax credits, and the 2.16 income tax. "Refundable tax credits" means the dependent care 2.17 credit under section 290.067, the Minnesota working family 2.18 credit under section 290.0671, the property tax refund under 2.19 section 290A.04, and, if the required federal waiver or waivers 2.20 are granted, the federal earned income tax credit under section 2.21 32 of the Internal Revenue Code; 2.22 (9) to the Minnesota department of economic security for 2.23 the purpose of monitoring the eligibility of the data subject 2.24 for reemployment insurance, for any employment or training 2.25 program administered, supervised, or certified by that agency, 2.26 or for the purpose of administering any rehabilitation program, 2.27 whether alone or in conjunction with the welfare system, and to 2.28 verify receipt of energy assistance for the telephone assistance 2.29 plan; 2.30 (10) to appropriate parties in connection with an emergency 2.31 if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the 2.32 health or safety of the individual or other individuals or 2.33 persons; 2.34 (11) data maintained by residential programs as defined in 2.35 section 245A.02 may be disclosed to the protection and advocacy 2.36 system established in this statepursuantaccording to Part C of 3.1 Public Law Number 98-527 to protect the legal and human rights 3.2 of persons with mental retardation or other related conditions 3.3 who live in residential facilities for these persons if the 3.4 protection and advocacy system receives a complaint by or on 3.5 behalf of that person and the person does not have a legal 3.6 guardian or the state or a designee of the state is the legal 3.7 guardian of the person; 3.8 (12) to the county medical examiner or the county coroner 3.9 for identifying or locating relatives or friends of a deceased 3.10 person; 3.11 (13) data on a child support obligor who makes payments to 3.12 the public agency may be disclosed to the higher education 3.13 services office to the extent necessary to determine eligibility 3.14 under section 136A.121, subdivision 2, clause (5); 3.15 (14) participant social security numbers and names 3.16 collected by the telephone assistance program may be disclosed 3.17 to the department of revenue to conduct an electronic data match 3.18 with the property tax refund database to determine eligibility 3.19 under section 237.70, subdivision 4a; 3.20(15) the current address of a recipient of aid to families3.21with dependent children may be disclosed to law enforcement3.22officers who provide the name and social security number of the3.23recipient and satisfactorily demonstrate that: (i) the3.24recipient is a fugitive felon, including the grounds for this3.25determination; (ii) the location or apprehension of the felon is3.26within the law enforcement officer's official duties; and (iii)3.27the request is made in writing and in the proper exercise of3.28those duties;3.29(16) the current address of a recipient of general3.30assistance, work readiness, or general assistance medical care3.31may be disclosed to probation officers and corrections agents3.32who are supervising the recipient, and to law enforcement3.33officers who are investigating the recipient in connection with3.34a felony level offense;3.35(17) information obtained from food stamp applicant or3.36recipient households may be disclosed to local, state, or4.1federal law enforcement officials, upon their written request,4.2for the purpose of investigating an alleged violation of the4.3food stamp act, in accordance with Code of Federal Regulations,4.4title 7, section 272.1(c);4.5 (15) the current address, social security number, and, if 4.6 available, the photograph of any recipient of the aid to 4.7 families with dependent children program in effect until January 4.8 1, 1998, MFIP-S, general assistance, general assistance medical 4.9 care, Minnesota supplemental aid, work readiness or food stamp 4.10 programs, or any member of a recipient's household, may be 4.11 disclosed to any: 4.12 (i) federal, state, or local law enforcement officer who 4.13 furnishes the name of the client or other household member and 4.14 notifies the agency that (A) the person is either fleeing to 4.15 avoid prosecution, custody, or confinement after prosecution, 4.16 for a crime that is a felony, or is violating a condition of 4.17 probation or parole imposed under federal or state law, or has 4.18 information that is necessary for the officer to conduct an 4.19 official duty related to locating or apprehending such a person; 4.20 (B) locating and apprehending the person is an official duty; 4.21 and (C) the request is being made in the proper exercise of an 4.22 official duty; 4.23 (ii) probation officers and correction agents who are 4.24 supervising the recipient and to law enforcement officers who 4.25 are investigating the recipient or someone listed as being in 4.26 the recipient's household in connection with a felony offense; 4.27 or 4.28 (iii) local, state, or federal law enforcement officials, 4.29 upon their written request, for the purpose of investigating an 4.30 alleged violation of the Food Stamp Act, according to Code of 4.31 Federal Regulations, title 7, section 272.1(c); 4.32(18)(16) data on a child support obligor who is in arrears 4.33 may be disclosed for purposes of publishing the datapursuant4.34 according to section 518.575; 4.35(19)(17) data on child support payments made by a child 4.36 support obligor may be disclosed to the obligee; 5.1(20)(18) data in the work reporting system may be 5.2 disclosed under section 256.998, subdivision 7; 5.3(21)(19) to the department of children, families, and 5.4 learning for the purpose of matching department of children, 5.5 families, and learning student data with public assistance data 5.6 to determine students eligible for free and reduced price meals, 5.7 meal supplements, and free milkpursuantaccording to United 5.8 States Code, title 42, sections 1758, 1761, 1766, 1766a, 1772, 5.9 and 1773; to produce accurate numbers of students receiving aid 5.10 to families with dependent children in effect until January 1, 5.11 1998, as required by section 124.175; and to allocate federal 5.12 and state funds that are distributed based on income of the 5.13 student's family; or 5.14(22)(20) the current address and telephone number of 5.15 program recipients and emergency contacts may be released to the 5.16 commissioner of health or a local board of health as defined in 5.17 section 145A.02, subdivision 2, when the commissioner or local 5.18 board of health has reason to believe that a program recipient 5.19 is a disease case, carrier, suspect case, or at risk of illness, 5.20 and the data are necessary to locate the person. 5.21 (b) Information on persons who have been treated for drug 5.22 or alcohol abuse may only be disclosedin accordance with5.23 according to the requirements of Code of Federal Regulations, 5.24 title 42, sections 2.1 to 2.67. 5.25 (c) Data provided to law enforcement agencies under 5.26 paragraph (a), clause (15),(16), or (17),or paragraph (b), are 5.27 investigative data and are confidential or protected nonpublic 5.28 while the investigation is active. The data are private after 5.29 the investigation becomes inactive under section 13.82, 5.30 subdivision 5, paragraph (a) or (b). 5.31 (d) Mental health data shall be treated as provided in 5.32 subdivisions 7, 8, and 9, but is not subject to the access 5.33 provisions of subdivision 10, paragraph (b). 5.34 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 13.82, 5.35 subdivision 1, is amended to read: 5.36 Subdivision 1. [APPLICATION.] This section shall apply to 6.1 agencies which carry on a law enforcement function, including 6.2 but not limited to municipal police departments, county sheriff 6.3 departments, fire departments, the bureau of criminal 6.4 apprehension, the Minnesota state patrol, the board of peace 6.5 officer standards and training, the department of commerce, and 6.6 the department of labor and industry fraud investigation unit, 6.7 and the client and provider fraud prevention and investigation 6.8 programs operated or supervised by the department of human 6.9 services. 6.10 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.01, 6.11 subdivision 2, is amended to read: 6.12 Subd. 2. [SPECIFIC POWERS.] Subject to the provisions of 6.13 section 241.021, subdivision 2, the commissioner of human 6.14 services shall: 6.15 (1) Administer and supervise all forms of public assistance 6.16 provided for by state law and other welfare activities or 6.17 services as are vested in the commissioner. Administration and 6.18 supervision of human services activities or services includes, 6.19 but is not limited to, assuring timely and accurate distribution 6.20 of benefits, completeness of service, and quality program 6.21 management. In addition to administering and supervising human 6.22 services activities vested by law in the department, the 6.23 commissioner shall have the authority to: 6.24 (a) require county agency participation in training and 6.25 technical assistance programs to promote compliance with 6.26 statutes, rules, federal laws, regulations, and policies 6.27 governing human services; 6.28 (b) monitor, on an ongoing basis, the performance of county 6.29 agencies in the operation and administration of human services, 6.30 enforce compliance with statutes, rules, federal laws, 6.31 regulations, and policies governing welfare services and promote 6.32 excellence of administration and program operation; 6.33 (c) develop a quality control program or other monitoring 6.34 program to review county performance and accuracy of benefit 6.35 determinations; 6.36 (d) require county agencies to make an adjustment to the 7.1 public assistance benefits issued to any individual consistent 7.2 with federal law and regulation and state law and rule and to 7.3 issue or recover benefits as appropriate; 7.4 (e) delay or deny payment of all or part of the state and 7.5 federal share of benefits and administrative reimbursement 7.6 according to the procedures set forth in section 256.017; and 7.7 (f) make contracts with and grants to public and private 7.8 agencies and organizations, both profit and nonprofit, and 7.9 individuals, using appropriated funds. 7.10 (2) Inform county agencies, on a timely basis, of changes 7.11 in statute, rule, federal law, regulation, and policy necessary 7.12 to county agency administration of the programs. 7.13 (3) Administer and supervise all child welfare activities; 7.14 promote the enforcement of laws protecting handicapped, 7.15 dependent, neglected and delinquent children, and children born 7.16 to mothers who were not married to the children's fathers at the 7.17 times of the conception nor at the births of the children; 7.18 license and supervise child-caring and child-placing agencies 7.19 and institutions; supervise the care of children in boarding and 7.20 foster homes or in private institutions; and generally perform 7.21 all functions relating to the field of child welfare now vested 7.22 in the state board of control. 7.23 (4) Administer and supervise all noninstitutional service 7.24 to handicapped persons, including those who are visually 7.25 impaired, hearing impaired, or physically impaired or otherwise 7.26 handicapped. The commissioner may provide and contract for the 7.27 care and treatment of qualified indigent children in facilities 7.28 other than those located and available at state hospitals when 7.29 it is not feasible to provide the service in state hospitals. 7.30 (5) Assist and actively cooperate with other departments, 7.31 agencies and institutions, local, state, and federal, by 7.32 performing services in conformity with the purposes of Laws 7.33 1939, chapter 431. 7.34 (6) Act as the agent of and cooperate with the federal 7.35 government in matters of mutual concern relative to and in 7.36 conformity with the provisions of Laws 1939, chapter 431, 8.1 including the administration of any federal funds granted to the 8.2 state to aid in the performance of any functions of the 8.3 commissioner as specified in Laws 1939, chapter 431, and 8.4 including the promulgation of rules making uniformly available 8.5 medical care benefits to all recipients of public assistance, at 8.6 such times as the federal government increases its participation 8.7 in assistance expenditures for medical care to recipients of 8.8 public assistance, the cost thereof to be borne in the same 8.9 proportion as are grants of aid to said recipients. 8.10 (7) Establish and maintain any administrative units 8.11 reasonably necessary for the performance of administrative 8.12 functions common to all divisions of the department. 8.13 (8) Act as designated guardian of both the estate and the 8.14 person of all the wards of the state of Minnesota, whether by 8.15 operation of law or by an order of court, without any further 8.16 act or proceeding whatever, except as to persons committed as 8.17 mentally retarded. 8.18 (9) Act as coordinating referral and informational center 8.19 on requests for service for newly arrived immigrants coming to 8.20 Minnesota. 8.21 (10) The specific enumeration of powers and duties as 8.22 hereinabove set forth shall in no way be construed to be a 8.23 limitation upon the general transfer of powers herein contained. 8.24 (11) Establish county, regional, or statewide schedules of 8.25 maximum fees and charges which may be paid by county agencies 8.26 for medical, dental, surgical, hospital, nursing and nursing 8.27 home care and medicine and medical supplies under all programs 8.28 of medical care provided by the state and for congregate living 8.29 care under the income maintenance programs. 8.30 (12) Have the authority to conduct and administer 8.31 experimental projects to test methods and procedures of 8.32 administering assistance and services to recipients or potential 8.33 recipients of public welfare. To carry out such experimental 8.34 projects, it is further provided that the commissioner of human 8.35 services is authorized to waive the enforcement of existing 8.36 specific statutory program requirements, rules, and standards in 9.1 one or more counties. The order establishing the waiver shall 9.2 provide alternative methods and procedures of administration, 9.3 shall not be in conflict with the basic purposes, coverage, or 9.4 benefits provided by law, and in no event shall the duration of 9.5 a project exceed four years. It is further provided that no 9.6 order establishing an experimental project as authorized by the 9.7 provisions of this section shall become effective until the 9.8 following conditions have been met: 9.9 (a) The proposed comprehensive plan, including estimated 9.10 project costs and the proposed order establishing the waiver, 9.11 shall be filed with the secretary of the senate and chief clerk 9.12 of the house of representatives at least 60 days prior to its 9.13 effective date. 9.14 (b) The secretary of health, education, and welfare of the 9.15 United States has agreed, for the same project, to waive state 9.16 plan requirements relative to statewide uniformity. 9.17 (c) A comprehensive plan, including estimated project 9.18 costs, shall be approved by the legislative advisory commission 9.19 and filed with the commissioner of administration. 9.20 (13)In accordance withAccording to federal requirements, 9.21 establish procedures to be followed by local welfare boards in 9.22 creating citizen advisory committees, including procedures for 9.23 selection of committee members. 9.24 (14) Allocate federal fiscal disallowances or sanctions 9.25 which are based on quality control error rates for the aid to 9.26 families with dependent children in effect until January 1, 9.27 1998, medical assistance, or food stamp program in the following 9.28 manner: 9.29 (a) One-half of the total amount of the disallowance shall 9.30 be borne by the county boards responsible for administering the 9.31 programs. For the medical assistance and AFDC programs in 9.32 effect until January 1, 1998, disallowances shall be shared by 9.33 each county board in the same proportion as that county's 9.34 expenditures for the sanctioned program are to the total of all 9.35 counties' expenditures for the AFDC program in effect until 9.36 January 1, 1998, and medical assistanceprogramsprogram. For 10.1 the food stamp program, sanctions shall be shared by each county 10.2 board, with 50 percent of the sanction being distributed to each 10.3 county in the same proportion as that county's administrative 10.4 costs for food stamps are to the total of all food stamp 10.5 administrative costs for all counties, and 50 percent of the 10.6 sanctions being distributed to each county in the same 10.7 proportion as that county's value of food stamp benefits issued 10.8 are to the total of all benefits issued for all counties. Each 10.9 county shall pay its share of the disallowance to the state of 10.10 Minnesota. When a county fails to pay the amount due hereunder, 10.11 the commissioner may deduct the amount from reimbursement 10.12 otherwise due the county, or the attorney general, upon the 10.13 request of the commissioner, may institute civil action to 10.14 recover the amount due. 10.15 (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a), if the 10.16 disallowance results from knowing noncompliance by one or more 10.17 counties with a specific program instruction, and that knowing 10.18 noncompliance is a matter of official county board record, the 10.19 commissioner may require payment or recover from the county or 10.20 counties, in the manner prescribed in paragraph (a), an amount 10.21 equal to the portion of the total disallowance which resulted 10.22 from the noncompliance, and may distribute the balance of the 10.23 disallowance according to paragraph (a). 10.24 (15) Develop and implement special projects that maximize 10.25 reimbursements and result in the recovery of money to the 10.26 state. For the purpose of recovering state money, the 10.27 commissioner may enter into contracts with third parties. Any 10.28 recoveries that result from projects or contracts entered into 10.29 under this paragraph shall be deposited in the state treasury 10.30 and credited to a special account until the balance in the 10.31 account reaches $1,000,000. When the balance in the account 10.32 exceeds $1,000,000, the excess shall be transferred and credited 10.33 to the general fund. All money in the account is appropriated 10.34 to the commissioner for the purposes of this paragraph. 10.35 (16) Have the authority to make direct payments to 10.36 facilities providing shelter to women and their children 11.1pursuantaccording to section 256D.05, subdivision 3. Upon the 11.2 written request of a shelter facility that has been denied 11.3 payments under section 256D.05, subdivision 3, the commissioner 11.4 shall review all relevant evidence and make a determination 11.5 within 30 days of the request for review regarding issuance of 11.6 direct payments to the shelter facility. Failure to act within 11.7 30 days shall be considered a determination not to issue direct 11.8 payments. 11.9 (17) Have the authority to establish and enforce the 11.10 following county reporting requirements: 11.11 (a) The commissioner shall establish fiscal and statistical 11.12 reporting requirements necessary to account for the expenditure 11.13 of funds allocated to counties for human services programs. 11.14 When establishing financial and statistical reporting 11.15 requirements, the commissioner shall evaluate all reports, in 11.16 consultation with the counties, to determine if the reports can 11.17 be simplified or the number of reports can be reduced. 11.18 (b) The county board shall submit monthly or quarterly 11.19 reports to the department as required by the commissioner. 11.20 Monthly reports are due no later than 15 working days after the 11.21 end of the month. Quarterly reports are due no later than 30 11.22 calendar days after the end of the quarter, unless the 11.23 commissioner determines that the deadline must be shortened to 11.24 20 calendar days to avoid jeopardizing compliance with federal 11.25 deadlines or risking a loss of federal funding. Only reports 11.26 that are complete, legible, and in the required format shall be 11.27 accepted by the commissioner. 11.28 (c) If the required reports are not received by the 11.29 deadlines established in clause (b), the commissioner may delay 11.30 payments and withhold funds from the county board until the next 11.31 reporting period. When the report is needed to account for the 11.32 use of federal funds and the late report results in a reduction 11.33 in federal funding, the commissioner shall withhold from the 11.34 county boards with late reports an amount equal to the reduction 11.35 in federal funding until full federal funding is received. 11.36 (d) A county board that submits reports that are late, 12.1 illegible, incomplete, or not in the required format for two out 12.2 of three consecutive reporting periods is considered 12.3 noncompliant. When a county board is found to be noncompliant, 12.4 the commissioner shall notify the county board of the reason the 12.5 county board is considered noncompliant and request that the 12.6 county board develop a corrective action plan stating how the 12.7 county board plans to correct the problem. The corrective 12.8 action plan must be submitted to the commissioner within 45 days 12.9 after the date the county board received notice of noncompliance. 12.10 (e) The final deadline for fiscal reports or amendments to 12.11 fiscal reports is one year after the date the report was 12.12 originally due. If the commissioner does not receive a report 12.13 by the final deadline, the county board forfeits the funding 12.14 associated with the report for that reporting period and the 12.15 county board must repay any funds associated with the report 12.16 received for that reporting period. 12.17 (f) The commissioner may not delay payments, withhold 12.18 funds, or require repayment under paragraph (c) or (e) if the 12.19 county demonstrates that the commissioner failed to provide 12.20 appropriate forms, guidelines, and technical assistance to 12.21 enable the county to comply with the requirements. If the 12.22 county board disagrees with an action taken by the commissioner 12.23 under paragraph (c) or (e), the county board may appeal the 12.24 action according to sections 14.57 to 14.69. 12.25 (g) Counties subject to withholding of funds under 12.26 paragraph (c) or forfeiture or repayment of funds under 12.27 paragraph (e) shall not reduce or withhold benefits or services 12.28 to clients to cover costs incurred due to actions taken by the 12.29 commissioner under paragraph (c) or (e). 12.30 (18) Allocate federal fiscal disallowances or sanctions for 12.31 audit exceptions when federal fiscal disallowances or sanctions 12.32 are based on a statewide random sample for the foster care 12.33 program under title IV-E of the Social Security Act, United 12.34 States Code, title 42, in direct proportion to each county's 12.35 title IV-E foster care maintenance claim for that period. 12.36 (19) Be responsible for ensuring the detection, prevention, 13.1 investigation, and resolution of fraudulent activities or 13.2 behavior by applicants, recipients, and other participants in 13.3 the human services programs administered by the department. 13.4 (20) Require county agencies to identify overpayments, 13.5 establish claims and utilize all available and cost-beneficial 13.6 methodologies to collect and recover these overpayments in the 13.7 human services programs administered by the department. 13.8 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.017, 13.9 subdivision 2, is amended to read: 13.10 Subd. 2. [DEFINITIONS.] The following terms have the 13.11 meanings given forthe purposepurposes of this section. 13.12 (a) "Administrative penalty" means an adjustment against 13.13 the county agency's state and federal benefit and federal 13.14 administrative reimbursement when the commissioner determines 13.15 that the county agency is not in compliance with the policies 13.16 and procedures established by the commissioner. 13.17 (b) "Quality control case penalty" means an adjustment 13.18 against the county agency's federal administrative reimbursement 13.19 and state and federal benefit reimbursement when the 13.20 commissioner determines through a quality control review that 13.21 the county agency has made incorrect payments, terminations, or 13.22 denials of benefits as determined by state quality control 13.23 procedures for theaid to families with dependent children13.24 Minnesota family investment program-statewide, food stamp, or 13.25 medical assistance programs, or any other programs for which the 13.26 commissioner has developed a quality control system. Quality 13.27 control case penalties apply only to agency errors as defined by 13.28 state quality control procedures. 13.29 (c) "Quality control" means a review system of a statewide 13.30 random sample of cases, designed to provide data on program 13.31 outcomes and the accuracy with which state and federal policies 13.32 are being applied in issuing benefits and as a fiscal audit to 13.33 ensure the accuracy of expenditures. The quality control system 13.34 is administered by the department. For theaid to families with13.35dependent childrenMinnesota family investment 13.36 program-statewide, food stamp, and medical assistance programs, 14.1 the quality control system is that required by federal 14.2 regulation, or those developed by the commissioner. 14.3 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.019, is 14.4 amended to read: 14.5 256.019 [RECOVERY OF MONEY; APPORTIONMENT.] 14.6 When an amount is recovered from any source for assistance 14.7 given under the provisions governing public assistance programs 14.8 including aid to families with dependent children, MFIP-S, 14.9 medical care, emergency assistance, general assistance,work14.10readiness,and Minnesota supplemental aid,there shall be paid14.11to the United States the amount due under the terms of the14.12Social Security Act andthe balance must be paid to the United 14.13 States or into the treasury of the state or countyin accordance14.14withaccording to current rates of financial participation; 14.15 except if the recovery is made by a county agency using any 14.16 method other than recoupment, the county may keep one-half of 14.17 the nonfederal share of the recovery. This does not apply to 14.18 recoveries from medical providers or to recoveries begun by the 14.19 department of human services' surveillance and utilization 14.20 review division, state hospital collections unit, and the 14.21 benefit recoveries division or, by the attorney general's 14.22 office, or child support collections. In the food stamp 14.23 program, the nonfederal share of recoveries in the federal tax 14.24 refund offset program (FTROP) only will be divided equally 14.25 between the state agency and the involved county agency. 14.26 Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.045, 14.27 subdivision 3, is amended to read: 14.28 Subd. 3. [STATE AGENCY HEARINGS.] (a) State agency 14.29 hearings are available for the following: (1) any person 14.30 applying for, receiving or having received public assistance, 14.31 medical care, or a program of social services granted by the 14.32 state agency or a county agencyunder sections 252.32, 256.03114.33to 256.036, and 256.72 to 256.879, chapters 256B, 256D, 256E,14.34261,or the federal Food Stamp Act whose application for 14.35 assistance is denied, not acted upon with reasonable promptness, 14.36 or whose assistance is suspended, reduced, terminated, or 15.1 claimed to have been incorrectly paid; (2) any patient or 15.2 relative aggrieved by an order of the commissioner under section 15.3 252.27; (3) a party aggrieved by a ruling of a prepaid health 15.4 plan; (4) any individual or facility determined by a lead agency 15.5 to have maltreated a vulnerable adult under section 626.557 15.6 after they have exercised their right to administrative 15.7 reconsideration under section 626.557; (5) any person whose 15.8 claim for foster care paymentpursuantaccording to a placement 15.9 of the child resulting from a child protection assessment under 15.10 section 626.556 is denied or not acted upon with reasonable 15.11 promptness, regardless of funding source; (6) any person to whom 15.12 a right of appealpursuantaccording to this section is given by 15.13 other provision of law; or (7) an applicant aggrieved by an 15.14 adverse decision to an application for a hardship waiver under 15.15 section 256B.15. The failure to exercise the right to an 15.16 administrative reconsideration shall not be a bar to a hearing 15.17 under this section if federal law provides an individual the 15.18 right to a hearing to dispute a finding of maltreatment. 15.19 Individuals and organizations specified in this section may 15.20 contest the specified action, decision, or final disposition 15.21 before the state agency by submitting a written request for a 15.22 hearing to the state agency within 30 days after receiving 15.23 written notice of the action, decision, or final disposition, or 15.24 within 90 days of such written notice if the applicant, 15.25 recipient, patient, or relative shows good cause why the request 15.26 was not submitted within the 30-day time limit. 15.27 The hearing for an individual or facility under clause (4) 15.28 is the only administrative appeal to the final lead agency 15.29 disposition specifically, including a challenge to the accuracy 15.30 and completeness of data under section 13.04. Hearings 15.31 requested under clause (4) apply only to incidents of 15.32 maltreatment that occur on or after October 1, 1995. Hearings 15.33 requested by nursing assistants in nursing homes alleged to have 15.34 maltreated a resident prior to October 1, 1995, shall be held as 15.35 a contested case proceeding under the provisions of chapter 14. 15.36 For purposes of this section, bargaining unit grievance 16.1 procedures are not an administrative appeal. 16.2 The scope of hearings involving claims to foster care 16.3 payments under clause (5) shall be limited to the issue of 16.4 whether the county is legally responsible for a child's 16.5 placement under court order or voluntary placement agreement 16.6 and, if so, the correct amount of foster care payment to be made 16.7 on the child's behalf and shall not include review of the 16.8 propriety of the county's child protection determination or 16.9 child placement decision. 16.10 (b) Except for a prepaid health plan, a vendor of medical 16.11 care as defined in section 256B.02, subdivision 7, or a vendor 16.12 under contract with a county agency to provide social services 16.13 under section 256E.08, subdivision 4, is not a party and may not 16.14 request a hearing under this section, except if assisting a 16.15 recipient as provided in subdivision 4. 16.16 (c) An applicant or recipient is not entitled to receive 16.17 social services beyond the services included in the amended 16.18 community social services plan developed under section 256E.081, 16.19 subdivision 3, if the county agency has met the requirements in 16.20 section 256E.081. 16.21 Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.046, is 16.22 amended to read: 16.23 256.046 [ADMINISTRATIVE FRAUD DISQUALIFICATION HEARINGS.] 16.24 Subdivision 1. [HEARING AUTHORITY.] A local agency may 16.25 initiate an administrative fraud disqualification hearing for 16.26 individuals accused of wrongfully obtaining assistance or 16.27 intentional program violations in the aid to families with 16.28 dependent children in effect until January 1, 1998, MFIP-S, 16.29 child care, general assistance, family general assistance, 16.30 Minnesota supplemental aid, medical care, or food stamp 16.31 programs. The hearing is subject to the requirements of section 16.32 256.045 and the requirements in Code of Federal Regulations, 16.33 title 7, section 273.16, for the food stamp program and title 16.34 45, section 235.112, as of September 30, 1995, for theaid to16.35families with dependent children programcash grant and medical 16.36 care programs. 17.1 Subd. 2. [COMBINED HEARING.] The referee may combine a 17.2 fair hearing and administrative fraud disqualification hearing 17.3 into a single hearing if the factual issues arise out of the 17.4 same, or related, circumstances and the individual receives 17.5 prior notice that the hearings will be combined. If the 17.6 administrative fraud disqualification hearing and fair hearing 17.7 are combined, the time frames for administrative fraud 17.8 disqualification hearingsset forthspecified in Code of Federal 17.9 Regulations, title 7, section 273.16, and title 45, section 17.10 235.112, as of September 30, 1995, apply. If the individual 17.11 accused of wrongfully obtaining assistance is charged under 17.12 section 256.98 for the same act or acts which are the subject of 17.13 the hearing, the individual may request that the hearing be 17.14 delayed until the criminal charge is decided by the court or 17.15 withdrawn. 17.16 Sec. 8. [256.0471] [OVERPAYMENTS BECOME JUDGMENTS BY 17.17 OPERATION OF LAW.] 17.18 Subdivision 1. [QUALIFYING OVERPAYMENT.] Any overpayment 17.19 for assistance granted under sections 256.031 to 256.0361, 17.20 256.72 to 256.871, and 256H.05; chapters 256B, 256D, 256I, 256J, 17.21 and 256K; and the food stamp program, except agency error 17.22 claims, become a judgment by operation of law 90 days after the 17.23 notice of overpayment is sent. This judgment shall be entitled 17.24 to full faith and credit in this and any other state. 17.25 Subd. 2. [OVERPAYMENTS INCLUDED.] This section is limited 17.26 to overpayments for which notification is issued within the time 17.27 period specified under section 541.05. 17.28 Subd. 3. [NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.] A judgment is only 17.29 obtained after: 17.30 (1) a notice of overpayment has been mailed to the debtor 17.31 at the last known address; and 17.32 (2) the time period under section 256.045, subdivision 3, 17.33 has elapsed without a request for a hearing, or a hearing 17.34 decision has been rendered under section 256.045 or 256.046 17.35 which concludes the existence of an overpayment that meets the 17.36 requirements of this section. 18.1 Subd. 4. [NOTICE OF OVERPAYMENT.] The notice of 18.2 overpayment shall include the amount and cause of the 18.3 overpayment, appeal rights, and an explanation of the 18.4 consequences of the judgment that will be established if an 18.5 appeal is not filed timely or if the administrative hearing 18.6 decision establishes that there is in overpayment which 18.7 qualifies for judgment. 18.8 Subd. 5. [JUDGMENTS ENTERED AND DOCKETED.] A judgment 18.9 shall be entered and docketed under section 548.09 only after 18.10 there has been at least three months that have elapsed since: 18.11 (1) the notice of overpayment; and 18.12 (2) the last time a monthly recoupment was applied to the 18.13 overpayment. 18.14 Subd. 6. [DOCKETING OF OVERPAYMENTS.] On or after the date 18.15 an unpaid overpayment becomes a judgment by operation of law 18.16 under subdivision 1, the agency or public authority may file 18.17 with the court administrator: 18.18 (1) a statement identifying, or a copy of, the overpayment 18.19 notice which provides for an appeal process and requires payment 18.20 of the overpayment; 18.21 (2) an affidavit of default, stating the full name, 18.22 occupation, place of residence, and last known post office 18.23 address of the debtor; the name and post office address of the 18.24 agency or public authority; the date or dates the overpayment 18.25 was incurred; the program that was overpaid; and the total 18.26 amount of the judgment; and 18.27 (3) an affidavit of service of a notice of entry of 18.28 judgment shall be made by first class mail at the debtor's last 18.29 known post office address. Service is completed upon mailing in 18.30 the manner designated. 18.31 Subd. 7. [DOES NOT IMPEDE OTHER METHODS.] Nothing in this 18.32 section shall be construed to impede or restrict alternative 18.33 recovery methods for these overpayments or overpayments which do 18.34 not meet the requirements of this section. 18.35 Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.98, 18.36 subdivision 1, is amended to read: 19.1 Subdivision 1. [WRONGFULLY OBTAINING ASSISTANCE.] A person 19.2 who commits any of the following acts or omissions is guilty of 19.3 theft and shall be sentenced under section 609.52, subdivision 19.4 3, clauses (1) to (5): 19.5 (1) obtains,or attempts to obtain, or aids or abets any 19.6 person to obtain by means of a willfully false statement or 19.7 representation, byintentionalwillful concealment ofaany 19.8 material fact, or by impersonation or other fraudulent device, 19.9 assistance or the continued receipt of assistance, to include 19.10 child care or vouchers produced according to sections 145.891 to 19.11 145.897 and MinnesotaCare services according to sections 19.12 256.9351 to 256.966, to which the person is not entitled or 19.13 assistance greater than that to which the person is entitled, or19.14who; 19.15 (2) knowingly aids or abets in buying or in any way 19.16 disposing of the property of a recipient or applicant of 19.17 assistance without the consent of the county agency with intent 19.18 to defeat the purposes of sections 145.891 to 145.897, 256.12, 19.19 256.031 to 256.0361, 256.72 to 256.871,and256.9351 to 256.966, 19.20 child care, the MFIP-S, chapter 256B, 256D, 256J, or 256K, or 19.21 all of these sectionsis guilty of theft and shall be sentenced19.22pursuant to section 609.52, subdivision 3, clauses (2), (3)(a)19.23and (c), (4), and (5).; or 19.24 (3) knowingly fails to report, within ten days, a change or 19.25 anticipated change in circumstances and continues to receive 19.26 assistance to which the person is not entitled or assistance 19.27 greater than that to which the person is entitled. 19.28 The continued receipt of assistance to which the person is 19.29 not entitled or greater than that to which the person is 19.30 entitled as a result of any of the acts, failure to act, or 19.31 concealment described in this subdivision shall be deemed to be 19.32 continuing offenses from the date that the first act or failure 19.33 to act occurred. 19.34 Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.98, 19.35 subdivision 3, is amended to read: 19.36 Subd. 3. [AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE INCORRECTLY PAID.] The 20.1 amount of the assistance incorrectly paid under this section is 20.2 thedifference between theamount of assistance actually 20.3 received on the basis of misrepresented or concealed factsand20.4the amount to which the recipient would have been entitled had20.5the specific concealment or misrepresentation not occurred.20.6Unless required by law, rule, or regulation,. No earned income 20.7 disregardsshall not be applied to earnings not reported by the20.8recipient, other reductions in grant amount, or recalculations 20.9 shall be applied in cases involving wrongfully obtained 20.10 assistance. 20.11 Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.98, 20.12 subdivision 4, is amended to read: 20.13 Subd. 4. [RECOVERY OF ASSISTANCE.] The amount of 20.14 assistance determined to have been incorrectly paid is 20.15 recoverable from: 20.16 (1) the recipient or the recipient's estate by the county 20.17 or the state as a debt due the county or the state or bothin20.18proportion to the contribution of each.; and 20.19 (2) any person found to have taken independent action to 20.20 establish eligibility for, conspired with, or aided and abetted, 20.21 any recipient of public assistance found to have been 20.22 incorrectly paid. 20.23 The obligations established under this subdivision shall be 20.24 joint and several and shall extend to all cases involving agency 20.25 error and client error as well as cases involving wrongfully 20.26 obtained assistance. 20.27 Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.98, 20.28 subdivision 8, is amended to read: 20.29 Subd. 8. [DISQUALIFICATION FROM PROGRAM.] Any person found 20.30 to be guilty of wrongfully obtaining assistance by a federal or 20.31 state court or by an administrative hearing determination, or 20.32 waiver thereof, through a disqualification consent agreement, or 20.33 as part of any approved diversion plan under section 401.065, or 20.34 any court ordered stay which carries with it any probationary or 20.35 other conditions, in the aid to families with dependent children 20.36 program in effect until January 1, 1998, the Minnesota family 21.1 assistance program-statewide, the food stamp program, the 21.2 Minnesota family investment plan, child care program, the 21.3 general assistance or family general assistance program, or the 21.4 Minnesota supplemental aid program, or the work readiness21.5programshall be disqualified from that program. The needs of 21.6 that individual shall not be taken into consideration in 21.7 determining the grant level for that assistance unit: 21.8 (1) forsix monthsone year after the first offense; 21.9 (2) for12 monthstwo years after the second offense; and 21.10 (3) permanently after the third or subsequent offense. 21.11 The period of program disqualification shall begin on the 21.12 date stipulated on the advance notice of disqualification 21.13 without possibility of postponement for administrative stay or 21.14 administrative hearing and shall continue through completion 21.15 unless and until the findings upon which the sanctions were 21.16 imposed are reversed by a court of competent jurisdiction. The 21.17 period for which sanctions are imposed is not subject to 21.18 review. The sanctions provided under this subdivision are in 21.19 addition to, and not in substitution for, any other sanctions 21.20 that may be provided for by law for the offense involved. A 21.21 disqualification established through hearing or waiver shall 21.22 result in the disqualification period beginning immediately 21.23 unless the person has become otherwise ineligible for 21.24 assistance. If the person is ineligible for assistance, the 21.25 disqualification period begins when the person again meets the 21.26 eligibility criteria of the program from which they were 21.27 disqualified and makes application for that program. 21.28 Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.983, 21.29 subdivision 1, is amended to read: 21.30 Subdivision 1. [PROGRAMS ESTABLISHED.] Within the limits 21.31 of available appropriations,and to the extent required or21.32authorized by applicable federal regulations,the commissioner 21.33 of human services shall require theestablishmentmaintenance of 21.34 budget neutral fraud prevention investigation programs in the 21.35sevencounties participating in the fraud prevention 21.36 investigationpilotproject established under this section, and22.1in 11 additional Minnesota counties with the largest aid to22.2families with dependent children program caseloads as of July 1,22.31991. If funds are sufficient, the commissioner may also extend 22.4 fraud prevention investigation programs to: (1)other 22.5 countiesthat have welfare fraud control programs already in22.6place based on enhanced funding contracts covering the fraud22.7investigation function; and (2) counties that have the largest22.8AFDC caseloads as of July 1, 1994, and are not currently22.9participating in the fraud prevention investigation pilot22.10project. The pilot project may be expandedprovided the 22.11 expansion is budget neutral to the state. 22.12 Sec. 14. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.983, 22.13 subdivision 4, is amended to read: 22.14 Subd. 4. [FUNDING.] (a)Every involved county agency shall22.15either have in place or obtain an approved contract which meets22.16all federal requirements necessary to obtain enhanced federal22.17funding for its welfare fraud control and fraud prevention22.18investigation programs.County agency reimbursement shall be 22.19 made through the settlement provisions applicable to the aid to 22.20 families with dependent childrenandprogram in effect until 22.21 January 1, 1998, food stampprogramsprogram, Minnesota family 22.22 investment program-statewide, and medical assistance program and 22.23 other federal and state funded programs. 22.24 (b)After allowing an opportunity to establish compliance,22.25 The commissioner willdeny administrative reimbursementmaintain 22.26 program compliance if for any three-month periodduring any22.27grant year, a county agency fails to comply with 22.28 fraud prevention investigation program guidelines, or fails to 22.29 meet the cost-effectiveness standards developed by the 22.30 commissioner. This result is contingent on the commissioner 22.31 providing written notice, including an offer of technical 22.32 assistance, within 30 days of the end of the third or subsequent 22.33 month of noncompliance. The county agency shall be required to 22.34 submit a corrective action plan to the commissioner within 30 22.35 days of receipt of a notice of noncompliance. Failure to submit 22.36 a corrective action plan or, continued deviation from standards 23.1 of more than ten percent after submission of a corrective action 23.2 plan, will result in denial of funding for each subsequent month 23.3 during the grant year or billing the county agency for fraud 23.4 prevention investigation (FPI) service provided by the 23.5 commissioner and reallocation of program grant funds, or 23.6 investigative resources, or both, to other counties. The denial 23.7 of funding shall apply to the general settlement received by the 23.8 county agency on a quarterly basis and shall not reduce the 23.9 grant amount applicable to the FPI project. 23.10 Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.984, 23.11 subdivision 1, is amended to read: 23.12 Subdivision 1. [DECLARATION.] Every application for public 23.13 assistance under this chapter and chapters 256B, 256D, 256J, 23.14 256K, and food stamps under chapter 393 shall be in writing or 23.15 reduced to writing as prescribed by the state agency and shall 23.16 contain the following declaration which shall be signed by the 23.17 applicant: 23.18 "I declare under the penalties of perjury that this 23.19 application has been examined by me and to the best of my 23.20 knowledge is a true and correct statement of every material 23.21 point. I understand that a person convicted of perjury may 23.22 be sentenced to imprisonment of not more than five years or 23.23 to payment of a fine of not more than $10,000, or both." 23.24 Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.986, is 23.25 amended to read: 23.26 256.986 [COUNTY COORDINATION OF FRAUD CONTROL ACTIVITIES.] 23.27 (a) The county agency shall prepare and submit to the 23.28 commissioner of human services byJanuary 1April 30 of each 23.29 state fiscal year a plan to coordinate county duties related to 23.30 the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of fraud in 23.31 public assistance programs.Plans may be submitted on a23.32voluntary basis prior to January 1, 1996.Each county must 23.33 submit its first annual plan prior toJanuary 1, 1997April 30, 23.34 1998. 23.35 (b) Within the limits of appropriations specifically made 23.36 available for this purpose, the commissioner may make grants to 24.1 counties submitting plans under paragraph (a) to implement 24.2 coordination activities. 24.3 Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.9861, 24.4 subdivision 1, is amended to read: 24.5 Subdivision 1. [PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.] Within the limits of 24.6 available state and federal appropriations,and to the extent24.7required or authorized by applicable federal regulations,the 24.8 commissioner of human services shall make funding available to 24.9 county agencies forthe establishment of program integrity24.10reinvestment initiatives. The project shall initially be24.11limited to those county agencies participating in federally24.12funded optional fraud control programs as of January 1,24.131995fraud control efforts and require the maintenance of county 24.14 efforts and financial contribution that were in place during 24.15 fiscal year 1996. 24.16 Sec. 18. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.9861, 24.17 subdivision 2, is amended to read: 24.18 Subd. 2. [COUNTY PROPOSALS.] Each included county shall 24.19 develop and submit annual funding, staffing, and operating grant 24.20 proposals to the commissioner no later than April 30 of each 24.21 year.For the first operating year only, the proposal shall be24.22submitted no later than October 30.Each proposal shall provide 24.23 information on: 24.24 (1) the staffing and funding of the fraud investigation and 24.25 prosecution operations; 24.26 (2) job descriptions for agency fraud control staff; 24.27 (3) contracts covering outside investigative agencies; 24.28 (4) operational methods to integrate the use of fraud 24.29 prevention investigation techniques; and 24.30 (5) implementation and utilization of administrative 24.31 disqualification hearings and diversionsintoby the existing 24.32 county fraud control and prosecution procedures. 24.33 Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.9861, 24.34 subdivision 4, is amended to read: 24.35 Subd. 4. [STANDARDS.] The commissioner shall, after 24.36 consultation with the involved counties, establish standards 25.1 governing the performance levels ofinvolvedcounty 25.2 investigative units based on grant agreementsnegotiatedwith 25.3 theinvolvedcounty agencies. The standards shall take into 25.4 consideration and may include investigative caseloads, grant 25.5 savings levels, the comparison of fraud prevention and 25.6 prosecution directed investigations, utilization levels of 25.7 administrative disqualification hearings, the timely reporting 25.8 and implementation of disqualifications, and the timeliness of 25.9 reports received from prosecutors. 25.10 Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.9861, 25.11 subdivision 5, is amended to read: 25.12 Subd. 5. [FUNDING.] (a)Grant funds are intended to help25.13offset the reduction in federal financial participation to 5025.14percent and may be apportioned to the participating counties25.15whenever feasible, and within the commissioner's discretion, to25.16achieve this goal.State funding shall be made available 25.17 contingent on counties submitting a plan that is approved by the 25.18 department of human services. Failure or delay in obtaining 25.19 that approval shall not, however, eliminate the obligation to 25.20 maintain fraud control efforts at theJanuary 1, 1995June 30, 25.21 1996, level.Additional counties may be added to the project to25.22the extent that funds are subsequently made available. Every25.23involved county must meet all federal requirements necessary to25.24obtain federal funding for its welfare fraud control and25.25prevention programs.County agency reimbursement shall be made 25.26 through the settlement provisions applicable to theAFDC and25.27 MFIP-S, food stamp and medical assistance programs. 25.28 (b) Should a county agency fail to comply with the 25.29 standards set, or fail to meet cost-effectiveness standards 25.30 developed by the commissioner forthree months during any grant25.31yearany three-month period, the commissioner shall deny 25.32 reimbursement or administrative costs, after allowing an 25.33 opportunity to establish compliance. 25.34 (c) Any denial of reimbursement under paragraph (b) is 25.35 contingent on the commissioner providing written notice, 25.36 including an offer of technical assistance, within 30 days of 26.1 the end of the third or subsequent months of noncompliance. The 26.2 county agency shall be required to submit a corrective action 26.3 plan to the commissioner within 30 days of receipt of a notice 26.4 of noncompliance. Failure to submit a corrective action plan or 26.5 continued deviation from standards of more than ten percent 26.6 after submission of corrective action plan, will result in 26.7 denial of funding for each such month during the grant year, or 26.8 billing of the county agency for program integrity reinvestment 26.9 project services provided by the commissioner or reallocation of 26.10 grant funds to other counties. The denial of funding shall 26.11 apply to the general settlement received by the county agency on 26.12 a quarterly basis and shall not reduce the grant amount 26.13 applicable to the program integrity reinvestment project. 26.14 Sec. 21. [256.9863] [ASSISTANCE TRANSACTION CARD; 26.15 PRESUMPTION OF RECEIPT OF BENEFITS.] 26.16 Any person in whose name an assistance transaction card has 26.17 been issued shall be presumed to have received the benefit of 26.18 all transactions involving that card. This presumption applies 26.19 in all situations unless the card in question has been reported 26.20 lost or stolen by the cardholder. This presumption may be 26.21 overcome by a preponderance of evidence indicating that the card 26.22 was neither used by nor with the consent of the cardholder. 26.23 Overcoming this presumption does not create any new or 26.24 additional payment obligation not otherwise established in law, 26.25 rule, or regulation. 26.26 Sec. 22. [256.9864] [REPORTS BY RECIPIENT.] 26.27 (a) An assistance unit with a recent work history or with 26.28 earned income shall report monthly to the county agency on 26.29 income received and other circumstances affecting eligibility or 26.30 assistance amounts. All other assistance units shall report on 26.31 income and other circumstances affecting eligibility and 26.32 assistance amounts at less frequent intervals, as specified by 26.33 the state agency. 26.34 (b) An assistance unit required to submit a report on the 26.35 form designated by the commissioner and within ten days of the 26.36 due date or the date of the significant change, whichever is 27.1 later, or otherwise report significant changes which would 27.2 affect eligibility or assistance amounts, is considered to have 27.3 continued its application for assistance effective the date the 27.4 required report is received by the county agency, if a complete 27.5 report is received within a calendar month in which assistance 27.6 was received, except that no assistance shall be paid for the 27.7 period beginning with the end of the month in which the report 27.8 was due and ending with the date the report was received by the 27.9 county agency. 27.10 Sec. 23. [256.9865] [RECOVERY OF OVERPAYMENTS AND ATM 27.11 ERRORS.] 27.12 Subdivision 1. [OBLIGATION TO RECOVER.] If an amount of 27.13 MFIP-S assistance is paid to a recipient in excess of the 27.14 payment due, it shall be recoverable by the county agency. This 27.15 recovery authority also extends to preexisting claims or newly 27.16 discovered claims established under the AFDC program in effect 27.17 on January 1, 1997. The agency shall give written notice to the 27.18 recipient of its intention to recover the overpayment. County 27.19 agency efforts and financial contributions shall be maintained 27.20 at the level in place during fiscal year 1996. 27.21 Subd. 2. [RECOUPMENT.] When an overpayment occurs, the 27.22 county agency shall recover the overpayment from a current 27.23 recipient by reducing the amount of aid payable to the 27.24 assistance unit of which the recipient is a member for one or 27.25 more monthly assistance payments until the overpayment is 27.26 repaid. All county agencies in the state shall reduce the 27.27 assistance payment by ten percent of the assistance unit's 27.28 standard of need in nonfraud cases and 20 percent where fraud 27.29 has occurred. For recipients receiving benefits via electronic 27.30 benefits transfer, if the overpayment is a result of an 27.31 automated teller machine (ATM) dispensing funds in error to the 27.32 recipient, the agency may recover the ATM error by immediately 27.33 withdrawing funds from the recipient's electronic benefit 27.34 transfer account, up to the amount of the error. In cases where 27.35 there is both an overpayment and underpayment, the county agency 27.36 shall offset one against the other in correcting the payment. 28.1 Subd. 3. [VOLUNTARY REPAYMENTS.] Overpayments may also be 28.2 voluntarily repaid, in part or in full, by the individual, in 28.3 addition to the aid reductions in subdivision 2, to include 28.4 further voluntary reductions in the grant level agreed to in 28.5 writing by the individual, until the total amount of the 28.6 overpayment is repaid. 28.7 Subd. 4. [CLOSED CASE RECOVERIES.] The county agency shall 28.8 make reasonable efforts to recover overpayments to persons no 28.9 longer on assistance according to standards adopted by rule by 28.10 the commissioner of human services. The county agency need not 28.11 attempt to recover overpayments of less than $35 paid to an 28.12 individual no longer on assistance unless the individual has 28.13 been convicted of fraud under section 256.98. 28.14 Sec. 24. [256.9866] [COMMUNITY SERVICE AS A COUNTY 28.15 OBLIGATION.] 28.16 Community service shall be an acceptable sentencing option 28.17 but shall not reduce the state or federal share of any amount to 28.18 be repaid or any subsequent recovery. Any reduction or offset 28.19 of any such amount ordered by a court shall be treated as 28.20 follows: 28.21 (1) any reduction in an overpayment amount, to include the 28.22 amount ordered as restitution, shall not reduce the underlying 28.23 amount established as an overpayment by the state or county 28.24 agency; 28.25 (2) total overpayments shall continue as a debt owed and 28.26 may be recovered by any civil or administrative means otherwise 28.27 available to the state or county agency; and 28.28 (3) any amount ordered to be offset against any overpayment 28.29 shall be deducted from the county share only of any recovery and 28.30 shall be based on the prevailing state minimum wage. To the 28.31 extent that any deduction is in fact made against any state or 28.32 county share, it shall be reimbursed from the county share of 28.33 payments to be made under section 256.025. 28.34 Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256B.056, 28.35 subdivision 1a, is amended to read: 28.36 Subd. 1a. [INCOME AND ASSETS GENERALLY.] Unless 29.1 specifically required by state law or rule or federal law or 29.2 regulation, the methodologies used in counting income and assets 29.3 to determine eligibility for medical assistance for persons 29.4 whose eligibility category is based on blindness, disability, or 29.5 age of 65 or more years, the methodologies for the supplemental 29.6 security income program shall be used, except that payments made 29.7pursuantaccording to a court order for the support of children 29.8 shall be excluded from income in an amount not to exceed the 29.9 difference between the applicable income standard used in the 29.10 state's medical assistance program for aged, blind, and disabled 29.11 persons and the applicable income standard used in the state's 29.12 medical assistance program for families with children. 29.13 Exclusion of court-ordered child support payments is subject to 29.14 the condition that if there has been a change in the financial 29.15 circumstances of the person with the legal obligation to pay 29.16 support since the support order was entered, the person with the 29.17 legal obligation to pay support has petitioned for modification 29.18 of the support order. For families and children, which includes 29.19 all other eligibility categories, the methodologies for theaid29.20to families with dependent children programMinnesota family 29.21 investment program-statewide undersection 256.73chapter 256J 29.22 shall be used. Effective upon federal approval, in-kind 29.23 contributions to, and payments made on behalf of, a recipient, 29.24 by an obligor, in satisfaction of or in addition to a temporary 29.25 or permanent order for child support or maintenance, shall be 29.26 considered income to the recipient. For these purposes, a 29.27 "methodology" does not include an asset or income standard, or 29.28 accounting method, or method of determining effective dates. 29.29 Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256B.057, 29.30 subdivision 2a, is amended to read: 29.31 Subd. 2a. [NOASSET TEST FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS.] 29.32 Eligibility for medical assistance for a person under age 21, 29.33 and the person's parents who are eligible under section 29.34 256B.055, subdivision 3, and who live in the same household as 29.35 the person eligible under age 21, must be determinedwithout29.36regard tobased on the asset standards established in section 30.1 256B.056. 30.2 Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256D.09, 30.3 subdivision 6, is amended to read: 30.4 Subd. 6. [RECOVERY OF OVERPAYMENTS.] (a) If an amount of 30.5 general assistance or family general assistance is paid to a 30.6 recipient in excess of the payment due, it shall be recoverable 30.7 by the county agency. The agency shall give written notice to 30.8 the recipient of its intention to recover the overpayment. 30.9 (b) When an overpayment occurs, the county agency shall 30.10 recover the overpayment from a current recipient by reducing the 30.11 amount of aid payable to the assistance unit of which the 30.12 recipient is a member, for one or more monthly assistance 30.13 payments, until the overpayment is repaid. All county agencies 30.14 in the state shall reduce the assistance payment bythreeten 30.15 percent of the assistance unit's standard of need in nonfraud 30.16 cases and 20 percent where fraud has occurred, or the amount of 30.17 the monthly payment, whichever is less,for all overpayments. 30.18whether or not the overpayment is due solely to agency error.30.19The amount of this reduction is ten percent, if the overpayment30.20is due solely to having wrongfully obtained assistance, whether30.21based on:30.22(1) a court order;30.23(2) the finding of an administrative fraud disqualification30.24hearing or the waiver of such a hearing; or30.25(3) a confession or judgment containing an admission of an30.26intentional program violation.30.27 (c) In cases when there is both an overpayment and 30.28 underpayment, the county agency shall offset one against the 30.29 other in correcting the payment. 30.30 (d) Overpayments may also be voluntarily repaid, in part or 30.31 in full, by the individual, in addition to the aid reductions 30.32 provided in this subdivision, to include further voluntary 30.33 reductions in the grant level agreed to in writing by the 30.34 individual, until the total amount of the overpayment is repaid. 30.35 (e) The county agency shall make reasonable efforts to 30.36 recover overpayments to persons no longer on assistance under 31.1 standards adopted in rule by the commissioner of human 31.2 services. The county agency need not attempt to recover 31.3 overpayments of less than $35 paid to an individual no longer on 31.4 assistance if the individual does not receive assistance again 31.5 within three years, unless the individual has been convicted of 31.6 violating section 256.98. 31.7 Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 270A.03, 31.8 subdivision 5, is amended to read: 31.9 Subd. 5. [DEBT.] "Debt" means a legal obligation of a 31.10 natural person to pay a fixed and certain amount of money, which 31.11 equals or exceeds $25 and which is due and payable to a claimant 31.12 agency. The term includes criminal fines imposed under section 31.13 609.10 or 609.125 and restitution. A debt may arise under a 31.14 contractual or statutory obligation, a court order, or other 31.15 legal obligation, but need not have been reduced to judgment. 31.16 A debtdoes not includeincludes any legal obligation of a 31.17 current recipient of assistance which is based on overpayment of 31.18 an assistance grant. 31.19 A debt does not include any legal obligation to pay a 31.20 claimant agency for medical care, including hospitalization if 31.21 the income of the debtor at the time when the medical care was 31.22 rendered does not exceed the following amount: 31.23 (1) for an unmarried debtor, an income of $6,400 or less; 31.24 (2) for a debtor with one dependent, an income of $8,200 or 31.25 less; 31.26 (3) for a debtor with two dependents, an income of $9,700 31.27 or less; 31.28 (4) for a debtor with three dependents, an income of 31.29 $11,000 or less; 31.30 (5) for a debtor with four dependents, an income of $11,600 31.31 or less; and 31.32 (6) for a debtor with five or more dependents, an income of 31.33 $12,100 or less. 31.34 The income amounts in this subdivision shall be adjusted 31.35 for inflation for debts incurred in calendar years 1991 and 31.36 thereafter. The dollar amount of each income level that applied 32.1 to debts incurred in the prior year shall be increased in the 32.2 same manner as provided in section 290.06, subdivision 2d, for 32.3 the expansion of the tax rate brackets. 32.4 Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 388.23, 32.5 subdivision 1, is amended to read: 32.6 Subdivision 1. [AUTHORITY.] The county attorney, or any 32.7 deputy or assistant county attorney whom the county attorney 32.8 authorizes in writing, has the authority to subpoena and require 32.9 the production of any records of telephone companies, cellular 32.10 phone companies, paging companies, electric companies, gas 32.11 companies, water utilities, chemical suppliers, hotels and 32.12 motels, pawn shops, airlines, buses, taxis, and other entities 32.13 engaged in the business of transporting people, and freight 32.14 companies, warehousing companies, self-service storage 32.15 facilities, package delivery companies, and other entities 32.16 engaged in the businesses of transport, storage, or delivery, 32.17 and records of the existence of safe deposit box account numbers 32.18 and customer savings and checking account numbers maintained by 32.19 financial institutions and safe deposit companies, insurance 32.20 records relating to the monetary payment or settlement of 32.21 claims, and wage and employment records of an applicant or 32.22 recipient of public assistance who is the subject of a welfare 32.23 fraud investigation relating to eligibility information for 32.24 public assistance programs. Subpoenas may only be issued for 32.25 records that are relevant to an ongoing legitimate law 32.26 enforcement investigation. Administrative subpoenas may only be 32.27 issued in welfare fraud cases if there is probable cause to 32.28 believe a crime has been committed. This provision applies only 32.29 to the records of business entities and does not extend to 32.30 private individuals or their dwellings.Subpoenas may only be32.31served by peace officers as defined by section 626.84,32.32subdivision 1, paragraph (c).32.33 Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 393.07, 32.34 subdivision 10, is amended to read: 32.35 Subd. 10. [FEDERAL FOOD STAMP PROGRAM AND THE MATERNAL AND 32.36 CHILD NUTRITION ACT.] (a) The local social services agency shall 33.1 establish and administer the food stamp programpursuant33.2 according to rules of the commissioner of human services, the 33.3 supervision of the commissioner as specified in section 256.01, 33.4 and all federal laws and regulations. The commissioner of human 33.5 services shall monitor food stamp program delivery on an ongoing 33.6 basis to ensure that each county complies with federal laws and 33.7 regulations. Program requirements to be monitored include, but 33.8 are not limited to, number of applications, number of approvals, 33.9 number of cases pending, length of time required to process each 33.10 application and deliver benefits, number of applicants eligible 33.11 for expedited issuance, length of time required to process and 33.12 deliver expedited issuance, number of terminations and reasons 33.13 for terminations, client profiles by age, household composition 33.14 and income level and sources, and the use of phone certification 33.15 and home visits. The commissioner shall determine the 33.16 county-by-county and statewide participation rate. 33.17 (b) On July 1 of each year, the commissioner of human 33.18 services shall determine a statewide and county-by-county food 33.19 stamp program participation rate. The commissioner may 33.20 designate a different agency to administer the food stamp 33.21 program in a county if the agency administering the program 33.22 fails to increase the food stamp program participation rate 33.23 among families or eligible individuals, or comply with all 33.24 federal laws and regulations governing the food stamp program. 33.25 The commissioner shall review agency performance annually to 33.26 determine compliance with this paragraph. 33.27 (c) A person who commits any of the following acts has 33.28 violated section 256.98 or 609.821, or both, and is subject to 33.29 both the criminal and civil penalties provided under those 33.30 sections: 33.31 (1) obtains or attempts to obtain, or aids or abets any 33.32 person to obtain by means of awillfully falsewillful statement 33.33 orrepresentationmisrepresentation, or intentional concealment 33.34 of a material fact, food stamps or vouchers issued according to 33.35 sections 145.891 to 145.897 to which the person is not entitled 33.36 or in an amount greater than that to which that person is 34.1 entitled or which specify nutritional supplements to which that 34.2 person is not entitled; or 34.3 (2) presents or causes to be presented, coupons or vouchers 34.4 issued according to sections 145.891 to 145.897 for payment or 34.5 redemption knowing them to have been received, transferred or 34.6 used in a manner contrary to existing state or federal law; or 34.7 (3) willfully uses, possesses, or transfers food stamp 34.8 couponsor, authorization to purchase cards or vouchers issued 34.9 according to sections 145.891 to 145.897 in any manner contrary 34.10 to existing state or federal law, rules, or regulations; or 34.11 (4) buys or sells food stamp coupons, authorization to 34.12 purchase cardsor, other assistance transaction devices, 34.13 vouchers issued according to sections 145.891 to 145.897, or any 34.14 food obtained through the redemption of vouchers issued 34.15 according to sections 145.891 to 145.897 for cash or 34.16 consideration other than eligible food. 34.17 (d) A peace officer or welfare fraud investigator may 34.18 confiscate food stamps, authorization to purchase cards, or 34.19 other assistance transaction devices found in the possession of 34.20 any person who is neither a recipient of the food stamp program 34.21 nor otherwise authorized to possess and use such materials. 34.22 Confiscated property shall be disposed of as the commissioner 34.23 may direct and consistent with state and federal food stamp 34.24 law. The confiscated property must be retained for a period of 34.25 not less than 30 days to allow any affected person to appeal the 34.26 confiscation under section 256.045. 34.27 (e) Food stamp overpayment claims which are due in whole or 34.28 in part to client error shall be established by the county 34.29 agency for a period of six years from the date of any resultant 34.30 overpayment. 34.31 (f) With regard to the federal tax revenue offset program 34.32 only, recovery incentives authorized by the federal food and 34.33 consumer service shall be retained at the rate of 50 percent by 34.34 the state agency and 50 percent by the certifying county agency. 34.35 (g) A peace officer, welfare fraud investigator, federal 34.36 law enforcement official, or the commissioner of health may 35.1 confiscate vouchers found in the possession of any person who is 35.2 neither issued vouchers under sections 145.891 to 145.897, nor 35.3 otherwise authorized to possess and use such vouchers. 35.4 Confiscated property shall be disposed of as the commissioner of 35.5 health may direct and consistent with state and federal law. 35.6 The confiscated property must be retained for a period of not 35.7 less than 30 days. 35.8 Sec. 31. [FUNDING AVAILABILITY.] 35.9 Unexpended funds appropriated for the provision of program 35.10 integrity activities for fiscal year 1998 will also be available 35.11 to the commissioner to fund fraud prevention and control 35.12 initiatives and do not cancel but are available to the 35.13 commissioner for these purposes for fiscal year 1999. 35.14 Unexpended funds may be transferred between the fraud prevention 35.15 investigation program and fraud control programs to promote the 35.16 provisions of sections 256.983 and 256.9861. 35.17 Sec. 32. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 35.18 Sections 1 to 31 are effective July 1, 1997. 35.19 ARTICLE 2 35.20 ACCESS TO CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT CENTRAL REGISTRY 35.21 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 13.99, is 35.22 amended by adding a subdivision to read: 35.23 Subd. 100b. [ACCESS TO CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT CENTRAL 35.24 REGISTRY.] Data on newly hired employees maintained by the 35.25 responsible authority for child support enforcement are governed 35.26 by section 256.998. 35.27 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.998, is 35.28 amended by adding a subdivision to read: 35.29 Subd. 10. [USE OF WORK REPORTING SYSTEM INFORMATION IN 35.30 DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.] The 35.31 commissioner of human services is authorized to use information 35.32 from the work reporting system to determine eligibility for 35.33 applicants and recipients of public assistance programs 35.34 administered by the department of human services. Data 35.35 including names, dates of birth, and social security numbers of 35.36 people applying for or receiving public assistance benefits will 36.1 be compared to the work reporting system information to 36.2 determine if applicants or recipients of public assistance are 36.3 employed. County agencies will be notified of discrepancies in 36.4 information obtained from the work reporting system. 36.5 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.998, is 36.6 amended by adding a subdivision to read: 36.7 Subd. 11. [ACTION ON INFORMATION.] Upon receipt of the 36.8 discrepant information, county agencies will notify clients of 36.9 the information and request verification of employment status 36.10 and earnings. County agencies must attempt to resolve the 36.11 discrepancy within 45 days of receipt of the information. 36.12 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 256.998, is 36.13 amended by adding a subdivision to read: 36.14 Subd. 12. [CLIENT NOTIFICATION.] Persons applying for 36.15 public assistance programs administered by the department of 36.16 human services will be notified at the time of application that 36.17 data including their name, date of birth, and social security 36.18 number will be shared with the work reporting system to 36.19 determine possible employment. All current public assistance 36.20 recipients will be notified of this provision prior to its 36.21 implementation. 36.22 Sec. 5. [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 36.23 Sections 1 to 4 are effective July 1, 1997.