Bill Text: NY A00958 | 2013-2014 | General Assembly | Amended


Bill Title: Enacts the "improper payments reporting and reduction act" to require state agencies to annually report on their improper payments and to seek to reduce or eliminate such payments.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-08 - referred to governmental operations [A00958 Detail]

Download: New_York-2013-A00958-Amended.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                        958--A
                              2013-2014 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 9, 2013
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by M. of A. KELLNER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
         tee on Governmental Operations -- committee discharged, bill  amended,
         ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
       AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to enacting the "improper
         payments reporting and reduction act"; and providing for the repeal of
         such provisions upon expiration thereof
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new article 4-B to
    2  read as follows:
    3                                 ARTICLE 4-B
    4                IMPROPER PAYMENTS REPORTING AND REDUCTION ACT
    5  SECTION 56.   SHORT TITLE.
    6          56-A. DEFINITIONS.
    7          57.   IDENTIFICATION OF SUSCEPTIBLE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES.
    8          57-A. ESTIMATION OF IMPROPER PAYMENTS.
    9          57-B. REPORTS ON ACTIONS TO REDUCE IMPROPER PAYMENTS.
   10          58.   IMPROPER PAYMENT ESTIMATE GUIDANCE GROUP.
   11          59.   APPLICATION OF ARTICLE.
   12    S 56. SHORT TITLE. THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE KNOWN AND MAY BE CITED AS THE
   13  "IMPROPER PAYMENTS REPORTING AND REDUCTION ACT".
   14    S 56-A. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN  THIS  ARTICLE,  THE  FOLLOWING  TERMS
   15  SHALL MEAN:
   16    1.  "AGENCY"  MEANS ANY EXECUTIVE BRANCH AGENCY, DEPARTMENT, DIVISION,
   17  OFFICE, BOARD, COMMISSION, PUBLIC AUTHORITY (OTHER THAN A MULTI-STATE OR
   18  MULTI-NATIONAL AUTHORITY) OR PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION, WITH AN  ANNUAL
   19  BUDGET  OF  AT  LEAST  TWENTY  MILLION  DOLLARS,  THE  HEAD  OF WHICH IS
   20  APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
   21    2. "IMPROPER PAYMENT" MEANS ANY PAYMENT THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MADE
   22  OR THAT WAS MADE IN AN  INCORRECT  AMOUNT,  INCLUDING  OVERPAYMENTS  AND
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD01811-02-3
       A. 958--A                           2
    1  UNDERPAYMENTS,  WHETHER  UNDER STATUTORY, CONTRACTUAL, ADMINISTRATIVE OR
    2  OTHER LEGALLY APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS. SUCH TERM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT  NOT
    3  BE  LIMITED  TO, ANY PAYMENT TO AN INELIGIBLE RECIPIENT, ANY PAYMENT FOR
    4  AN  INELIGIBLE SERVICE, ANY DUPLICATE PAYMENT, PAYMENTS FOR SERVICES NOT
    5  RECEIVED AND ANY PAYMENT THAT DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR CREDIT FOR APPLICABLE
    6  DISCOUNTS.
    7    3. "PAYMENT" MEANS ANY PAYMENT,  INCLUDING  A  COMMITMENT  FOR  FUTURE
    8  PAYMENT,  THAT  IS  MADE  BY AN AGENCY, A STATE CONTRACTOR, OR A GOVERN-
    9  MENTAL OR OTHER ORGANIZATION ADMINISTERING A STATE PROGRAM OR  ACTIVITY,
   10  AND  WHICH  DERIVED  FROM  STATE FUNDS OR OTHER STATE RESOURCES, OR THAT
   11  WILL BE REIMBURSED FROM STATE FUNDS OR OTHER STATE RESOURCES.
   12    S 57. IDENTIFICATION OF SUSCEPTIBLE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES. THE  HEAD
   13  OF EACH AGENCY SHALL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH GUIDELINES PROMULGATED PURSUANT
   14  TO  SECTION FIFTY-EIGHT OF THIS ARTICLE AND NOT LESS THAN ONCE EVERY TWO
   15  YEARS, REVIEW ALL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT HIS OR HER AGENCY  ADMIN-
   16  ISTERS,  AND  IDENTIFY  ALL  SUCH  PROGRAMS  AND  ACTIVITIES THAT MAY BE
   17  SUSCEPTIBLE TO IMPROPER PAYMENTS.
   18    S 57-A. ESTIMATION OF IMPROPER PAYMENTS. WITH RESPECT TO EACH  PROGRAM
   19  AND ACTIVITY IDENTIFIED IN SECTION FIFTY-SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE, THE HEAD
   20  OF THE AGENCY SHALL:
   21    1.  ESTIMATE  ON  AN ANNUALIZED BASIS THE AMOUNT OF IMPROPER PAYMENTS;
   22  AND
   23    2. REPORT SUCH ESTIMATE TO THE PUBLIC, AND THE CHAIRS  OF  THE  SENATE
   24  FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE ON OR BEFORE
   25  JANUARY  FIRST  OF  THE CALENDAR YEAR SUCCEEDING THE REVIEW CONDUCTED BY
   26  SUCH HEAD OF THE AGENCY PURSUANT TO SECTION FIFTY-SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE,
   27  AND SHALL BE POSTED ON THE  AGENCY'S  INTERNET  WEBSITE  AND  ANY  OTHER
   28  WEBSITE.
   29    ALL  AGENCIES SHALL USE THE SAME METHOD OF REPORTING, AS PRESCRIBED BY
   30  SECTION FIFTY-EIGHT OF THIS ARTICLE.
   31    S 57-B.  REPORTS ON ACTIONS TO REDUCE IMPROPER PAYMENTS. WITH  RESPECT
   32  TO  ANY  PROGRAM  OR  ACTIVITY  OF  AN  AGENCY  WITH IDENTIFIED IMPROPER
   33  PAYMENTS PURSUANT TO SECTION FIFTY-SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE,  THE  HEAD  OF
   34  THE   AGENCY  SHALL  INCLUDE  WITH  THE  ESTIMATE  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION
   35  FIFTY-SEVEN-A OF THIS ARTICLE A REPORT ON WHAT  ACTIONS  THE  AGENCY  IS
   36  TAKING TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF AND AMOUNTS OF IMPROPER PAYMENTS, INCLUD-
   37  ING:
   38    1.  A  DISCUSSION  OF  THE CAUSES OF THE IMPROPER PAYMENTS IDENTIFIED,
   39  ACTIONS TAKEN TO CORRECT THOSE CAUSES, AND RESULTS OF THE ACTIONS  TAKEN
   40  TO ADDRESS THOSE CAUSES;
   41    2.  A  STATEMENT OF WHETHER THE AGENCY HAS THE INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND
   42  OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE IT NEEDS IN ORDER TO REDUCE  IMPROPER  PAYMENTS  TO
   43  MINIMAL COST-EFFECTIVE LEVELS;
   44    3.  IF  THE  AGENCY  DOES  NOT HAVE SUCH SYSTEMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE, A
   45  DESCRIPTION OF THE RESOURCES THE AGENCY  HAS  REQUESTED  TO  OBTAIN  THE
   46  NECESSARY INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND INFRASTRUCTURE; AND
   47    4.  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  STEPS THE AGENCY HAS TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT
   48  AGENCY MANAGERS (INCLUDING THE AGENCY HEAD)  ARE  HELD  ACCOUNTABLE  FOR
   49  REDUCING IMPROPER PAYMENTS.
   50    S  58.  IMPROPER  PAYMENT  ESTIMATE  GUIDANCE GROUP. 1. THERE SHALL BE
   51  ESTABLISHED, WITHIN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, THE IMPROPER PAYMENT  ESTIMATE
   52  GUIDANCE  GROUP.  SUCH  GROUP  SHALL  BE COMPOSED OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE
   53  BUDGET WHO SHALL CHAIR THE  GROUP,  THE  STATE  INSPECTOR  GENERAL,  THE
   54  INSPECTOR  GENERAL  OF  THE  METROPOLITAN  TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, THE
   55  WELFARE INSPECTOR GENERAL AND TWO MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.
       A. 958--A                           3
    1    2. WITHIN NINETY DAYS OF THE  EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF  THIS  ARTICLE,  THE
    2  IMPROPER PAYMENT ESTIMATE GUIDANCE GROUP SHALL MEET AND, IN CONSULTATION
    3  WITH  THE STATE COMPTROLLER, PRESCRIBE GUIDELINES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION
    4  OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE. ALL  AGENCIES  SHALL  COOPERATE  WITH
    5  SUCH GROUP TO ASSIST IT AS NECESSARY IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROMULGATION
    6  OF GUIDELINES. THE GUIDELINES SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
    7    A.  THE MANNER IN WHICH AGENCIES SHALL REVIEW PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES,
    8  AND IDENTIFY THOSE WHICH ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO IMPROPER PAYMENTS;
    9    B. THE MANNER IN WHICH AGENCIES SHALL  CALCULATE  STATISTICALLY  VALID
   10  ESTIMATES  OF  THE  ANNUAL  AMOUNT  OF IMPROPER PAYMENTS IN PROGRAMS AND
   11  ACTIVITIES;
   12    C. THE MANNER IN  WHICH  AGENCIES  SHALL  IMPLEMENT  PLANS  TO  REDUCE
   13  IMPROPER PAYMENTS; AND
   14    D.  THE MANNER IN WHICH AGENCIES SHALL REPORT ESTIMATES OF THE ANNUAL-
   15  IZED AMOUNT  OF  IMPROPER  PAYMENTS  IN  PROGRAMS  AND  ACTIVITIES,  AND
   16  PROGRESS IN REDUCING THEM.
   17    3.  THE IMPROPER PAYMENT ESTIMATE GUIDANCE GROUP SHALL THEREAFTER MEET
   18  AT ANY TIME AT THE CALL OF EITHER THE DIRECTOR  OF  THE  BUDGET  OR  THE
   19  STATE  COMPTROLLER;  PROVIDED  THAT  SUCH GROUP SHALL MEET NO FEWER THAN
   20  ONCE EVERY OTHER YEAR TO REVIEW THE GUIDELINES.
   21    S 59.  APPLICATION OF ARTICLE. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL:
   22    1. APPLY TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAMS AND IMPROPER PAYMENTS  MADE
   23  IN  STATE  FISCAL YEARS COMMENCING ON OR AFTER APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND
   24  FOURTEEN; AND
   25    2. REQUIRE THE  INCLUSION  OF  THE  ESTIMATES,  REPORTED  PURSUANT  TO
   26  SECTION  FIFTY-SEVEN-A OF THIS ARTICLE, IN THE AGENCY BUDGET SUBMISSIONS
   27  FOR STATE FISCAL YEARS COMMENCING ON OR AFTER APRIL FIRST, TWO  THOUSAND
   28  FIFTEEN.
   29    S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
   30  it  shall  have  become a law, and shall expire and be deemed repealed 4
   31  years after such effective date.
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