5652 AMH THIB KNUT 3

SB 5652 ‑ H AMD TO H COMM AMD (5652 AMH CFS BURK 1)687 OUT OF ORDER 4/11/95

By Representative Thibaudeau

     On page 1, beginning on line 5 of the striking amendment, strike the remainder of the amendment and insert the following:

     "NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  Welfare fraud damages the state's ability to use its limited resources to help those 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.  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."

EFFECT:  Prohibits recipients of public assistance who are convicted of illegally obtaining such assistance from receiving assistance payments for a minimum of six months.