S-0455.2  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5814

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Senators Hochstatter, Wood, Schow, Finkbeiner, Long, Deccio, Moyer, Strannigan, McCaslin, West and Oke

Read first time 02/07/95.  Referred to Committee on Health & Long‑Term Care.

Requiring unannounced visits to investigate complaints against public assistance recipients.

    AN ACT Relating to welfare fraud investigations; adding a new section to chapter 74.04 RCW; creating new sections; providing an effective date; providing a contingent expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 74.04 RCW to read as follows:

    In an effort to protect the benefits of those who are eligible for public assistance and to reduce the expenditure of benefits to those who are not, the department shall make unannounced visits to recipients of public assistance if the department has received a complaint and feels it is necessary to investigate welfare fraud.  Recipients of public assistance shall participate in interviews with employees of the department who are investigating welfare fraud when the employees request such interviews.  Lack of cooperation shall result in a grant reduction of twenty-five percent.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The governor and the department of social and health services shall seek all necessary exemptions and waivers from and amendments to federal statutes, rules, and regulations and shall report to the appropriate committees in the house of representatives and senate quarterly on the efforts to secure the federal changes to permit full implementation of section 1 of this act at the earliest possible date.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  In the event that the department of social and health services is not able to obtain the necessary exemptions, waivers, or amendments referred to in section 2 of this act before January 1, 1998, this act shall expire on that date and shall have no further force or effect.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  If any part of this act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state, the conflicting part of this act is inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict and with respect to the agencies directly affected, and this finding does not affect the operation of the remainder of this act in its application to the agencies concerned.  The rules under this act shall meet federal requirements that are a necessary condition to the receipt of federal funds by the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect July 1, 1995.

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