5652 AMH BOLD H3166.1

SB 5652 - H AMD  913 Adopted 4-23-95

By Representative Boldt

     Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

     "NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that welfare fraud damages the state's ability to use its limited resources to help those in need who legitimately qualify for assistance.  In addition, it affects the credibility and integrity of the system, promoting disdain for the law.

     Persons convicted of committing such fraud should be barred, for a period of time, from receiving additional public assistance.

     Sec. 2.  RCW 74.08.290 and 1959 c 26 s 74.08.290 are each amended to read as follows:

     The department is hereby authorized to suspend temporarily the public assistance granted to any person for any period during which such person is not in need thereof.

     If a recipient is convicted of any crime or offense, and punished by imprisonment, no payment shall be made during the period of imprisonment.

If a recipient is convicted of unlawful practices under RCW 74.08.331, no payment shall be made for a period to be determined by the court, but in no event less than six months upon the first conviction and no less than twelve months for a second or subsequent violation.  This suspension of public assistance shall apply regardless of whether the recipient is subject to complete or partial confinement upon conviction, or incurs some lesser penalty.

     Sec. 3.  RCW 74.04.062 and 1973 c 152 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

     Upon written request of a person who has been properly identified as an officer of the law with a felony arrest warrant or a properly identified United States immigration official with a warrant for an illegal alien the department shall disclose to such officer the current address and location of the person properly described in the warrant.  However, this rule does not restrict in any manner whatsoever the disclosure of address and location information by the department pursuant to its implementation of the federal "systematic alien verification for entitlements" program or pursuant to section 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 74.08 RCW to read as follows:

     The department shall implement the federal "systematic alien verification for entitlements" program, the "SAVE" program.  The department shall:

     (1) Coordinate with other state agencies, including but not limited to the employment security department, to ensure that persons receiving federal or state funds are eligible in terms of citizenship and residency status;

     (2) Post at every community service office a sign letting applicants and recipients know that illegal aliens will be reported to the United States immigration and naturalization service and that the systematic alien verification for entitlements program is in use in the office; and

     (3) Systematically use all processes available to verify eligibility in terms of the citizenship and residency status of applicants and recipients for public assistance.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  The department shall have the SAVE program in full force and effect by September 30, 1995, and report to the fiscal committees of the house of representatives and senate by December 1, 1995, regarding the progress of implementation and outcomes by region of the program."

SB 5652 - H AMD

By Representative

     On page 1, line 1 of the title, after "fraud;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 74.08.290 and 74.04.062; adding a new section to chapter 74.08 RCW; and creating new sections."

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