Bill Text: NH SB673 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Relative to recovery of unauthorized payments by the state.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 8-3)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-09-23 - Died on Table [SB673 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2020-SB673-Introduced.html

SB 673-FN - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2020 SESSION

20-2855

01/04

 

SENATE BILL 673-FN

 

AN ACT relative to recovery of unauthorized payments by the state.

 

SPONSORS: Sen. Gray, Dist 6; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Giuda, Dist 2; Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Reagan, Dist 17; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Ward, Dist 8; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Rep. McMahon, Rock. 7

 

COMMITTEE: Health and Human Services

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

 

ANALYSIS

 

This bill clarifies the procedure for recovery of unauthorized payments by the state.

 

This bill is a request of the department of health and human services.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

20-2855

01/04

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty

 

AN ACT relative to recovery of unauthorized payments by the state.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Public Assistance to Blind, Aged, or Disabled Persons, and to Dependent Children; Unauthorized Payments; Recovery by State.  RSA 167:17-a is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

167:17-a  Unauthorized Payments; Recovery by State.  Any sums paid to or on behalf of any individual for any public assistance program under the provisions of RSA 167 or RSA 161 as a result of any failure to report collateral resources as described in RSA 167:17, false statement, misrepresentation or concealment of or failure to disclose the receipt of property, wages, income or resources by the individual or by any person legally liable for the individual's support, or with regard to supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) benefits such assistance overpaid without regard to the reason for such overpayment including, but not limited to, errors committed by the department of health and human services, its employees, agents or contractors, may be recovered through administrative or judicial process, in an action brought by the state or the commissioner of the department of health and human services or his or her designee against such individual.  This recovery shall be limited by the provisions of RSA 161:10.  The commissioner of the department of health and human services shall recover any unauthorized payments by reasonably adjusting current and future grant amounts received by the individual violating the provisions of this section, or through the return of the overpayment through repayment to the department.  A person who knowingly, and with malfeasance, assists a recipient or other person in obtaining an overpayment is jointly and severally liable for the overpayment.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect upon its passage.

 

LBAO

20-2855

1/7/20

 

SB 673-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to recovery of unauthorized payments by the state.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [    ] County               [    ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

   Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Revenue

$0

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

   Expenditures

$0

$0

$0

$0

Funding Source:

  [ X ] General            [    ] Education            [    ] Highway           [ X ] Other -

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill repeals and reenacts RSA 167:17-a to allow the Department of Health and Human Services to recoup unauthorized public assistance payments from any legally liable person.  Current law allows the Department to recover only "future grants," so that the Department may recover payments only if the legally responsible party is eligible for assistance in the future.  Further, the Department may only seek recoveries from that future grant of assistance to the responsible party.  This bill allows the Department to seek back payment from individuals who are no longer eligible for future assistance.  Accordingly, the Department anticipates the bill will increase recovery revenues, some of which will accrue to the State General fund and some of which will accrue to the federal government, depending on the original source of the recovered funds.  The Department does not expect to incur an increase in expenditures, as it will be able to absorb any cost of increasing collection activity within its current budget.  

 

It is assumed any fiscal impact from this bill will not occur until FY 2021.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Health and Human Services

 

feedback