Bill Text: NY S08122 | 2009-2010 | 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: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 9-3)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-06-25 - referred to governmental operations [S08122 Detail]

Download: New_York-2009-S08122-Amended.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                        8122--A
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                     June 9, 2010
                                      ___________
       Introduced  by  Sens.  KLEIN, AUBERTINE, FOLEY, MAZIARZ, PERALTA -- read
         twice and ordered printed, and when printed to  be  committed  to  the
         Committee  on  Finance  -- 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"
         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
   23  UNDERPAYMENTS, WHETHER UNDER STATUTORY, CONTRACTUAL,  ADMINISTRATIVE  OR
   24  OTHER  LEGALLY APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS. SUCH TERM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT
   25  BE LIMITED TO, ANY PAYMENT TO AN INELIGIBLE RECIPIENT, ANY  PAYMENT  FOR
   26  AN  INELIGIBLE SERVICE, ANY DUPLICATE PAYMENT, PAYMENTS FOR SERVICES NOT
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD17679-03-0
       S. 8122--A                          2
    1  RECEIVED AND ANY PAYMENT THAT DOES NOT ACCOUNT FOR CREDIT FOR APPLICABLE
    2  DISCOUNTS.
    3    3.  "PAYMENT"  MEANS  ANY  PAYMENT,  INCLUDING A COMMITMENT FOR FUTURE
    4  PAYMENT, THAT IS MADE BY AN AGENCY, A STATE  CONTRACTOR,  OR  A  GOVERN-
    5  MENTAL  OR OTHER ORGANIZATION ADMINISTERING A STATE PROGRAM OR ACTIVITY,
    6  AND WHICH DERIVED FROM STATE FUNDS OR OTHER  STATE  RESOURCES,  OR  THAT
    7  WILL BE REIMBURSED FROM STATE FUNDS OR OTHER STATE RESOURCES.
    8    S  57. IDENTIFICATION OF SUSCEPTIBLE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES. THE HEAD
    9  OF EACH AGENCY SHALL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH GUIDELINES PROMULGATED PURSUANT
   10  TO SECTION FIFTY-EIGHT OF THIS ARTICLE, ANNUALLY REVIEW ALL PROGRAMS AND
   11  ACTIVITIES THAT IT ADMINISTERS,  AND  IDENTIFY  ALL  SUCH  PROGRAMS  AND
   12  ACTIVITIES THAT MAY BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO IMPROPER PAYMENTS.
   13    S  57-A. ESTIMATION OF IMPROPER PAYMENTS. WITH RESPECT TO EACH PROGRAM
   14  AND ACTIVITY IDENTIFIED IN SECTION FIFTY-SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE, THE HEAD
   15  OF THE AGENCY SHALL:
   16    1. ESTIMATE THE ANNUAL AMOUNT OF IMPROPER PAYMENTS; AND
   17    2. REPORT SUCH ESTIMATE TO THE PUBLIC, AND THE CHAIRS  OF  THE  SENATE
   18  FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE ON OR BEFORE
   19  JANUARY  FIRST  OF  THE SUCCEEDING CALENDAR YEAR, AND SHALL BE POSTED ON
   20  THE AGENCY'S INTERNET WEBSITE AND ANY OTHER WEBSITE ESTABLISHED PURSUANT
   21  TO SECTION FIFTY-EIGHT OF THIS ARTICLE.
   22    ALL AGENCIES SHALL USE THE SAME METHOD OF REPORTING, AS PRESCRIBED  BY
   23  SECTION FIFTY-EIGHT OF THIS ARTICLE.
   24    S  57-B.  REPORTS ON ACTIONS TO REDUCE IMPROPER PAYMENTS. WITH RESPECT
   25  TO ANY PROGRAM  OR  ACTIVITY  OF  AN  AGENCY  WITH  IDENTIFIED  IMPROPER
   26  PAYMENTS  PURSUANT  TO  SECTION FIFTY-SEVEN OF THIS ARTICLE, THE HEAD OF
   27  THE  AGENCY  SHALL  INCLUDE  WITH  THE  ESTIMATE  PURSUANT  TO   SECTION
   28  FIFTY-SEVEN-A  OF  THIS  ARTICLE  A REPORT ON WHAT ACTIONS THE AGENCY IS
   29  TAKING TO REDUCE THE IMPROPER PAYMENTS, INCLUDING:
   30    1. A DISCUSSION OF THE CAUSES OF  THE  IMPROPER  PAYMENTS  IDENTIFIED,
   31  ACTIONS  TAKEN TO CORRECT THOSE CAUSES, AND RESULTS OF THE ACTIONS TAKEN
   32  TO ADDRESS THOSE CAUSES;
   33    2. A STATEMENT OF WHETHER THE AGENCY HAS THE INFORMATION  SYSTEMS  AND
   34  OTHER  INFRASTRUCTURE  IT  NEEDS IN ORDER TO REDUCE IMPROPER PAYMENTS TO
   35  MINIMAL COST-EFFECTIVE LEVELS;
   36    3. IF THE AGENCY DOES NOT HAVE  SUCH  SYSTEMS  AND  INFRASTRUCTURE,  A
   37  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  RESOURCES  THE  AGENCY HAS REQUESTED IN ITS BUDGET
   38  SUBMISSION TO OBTAIN THE NECESSARY INFORMATION SYSTEMS  AND  INFRASTRUC-
   39  TURE; AND
   40    4.  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  STEPS THE AGENCY HAS TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT
   41  AGENCY MANAGERS (INCLUDING THE AGENCY HEAD)  ARE  HELD  ACCOUNTABLE  FOR
   42  REDUCING IMPROPER PAYMENTS.
   43    S  58.  IMPROPER  PAYMENT  ESTIMATE  GUIDANCE GROUP. 1. THERE SHALL BE
   44  ESTABLISHED, WITHIN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, THE IMPROPER PAYMENT  ESTIMATE
   45  GUIDANCE  GROUP.  SUCH  GROUP  SHALL  BE COMPOSED OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE
   46  BUDGET WHO SHALL CHAIR THE  GROUP,  THE  STATE  INSPECTOR  GENERAL,  THE
   47  INSPECTOR  GENERAL  OF THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY AND THE
   48  WELFARE INSPECTOR GENERAL.
   49    2. WITHIN ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS  ARTI-
   50  CLE,  THE  IMPROPER  PAYMENT  ESTIMATE GUIDANCE GROUP SHALL MEET AND, IN
   51  CONSULTATION WITH THE STATE COMPTROLLER, PRESCRIBE  GUIDELINES  FOR  THE
   52  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  THE  PROVISIONS  OF THIS ARTICLE. ALL AGENCIES SHALL
   53  COOPERATE WITH SUCH GROUP TO ASSIST IT AS NECESSARY IN  THE  DEVELOPMENT
   54  AND PROMULGATION OF GUIDELINES. THE GUIDELINES SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE
   55  LIMITED TO:
       S. 8122--A                          3
    1    A.  THE MANNER IN WHICH AGENCIES SHALL REVIEW PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES,
    2  AND IDENTIFY THOSE WHICH ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO IMPROPER PAYMENTS;
    3    B.  THE  MANNER  IN WHICH AGENCIES SHALL CALCULATE STATISTICALLY VALID
    4  ESTIMATES OF THE ANNUAL AMOUNT OF  IMPROPER  PAYMENTS  IN  PROGRAMS  AND
    5  ACTIVITIES;
    6    C.  THE  MANNER  IN  WHICH  AGENCIES  SHALL  IMPLEMENT PLANS TO REDUCE
    7  IMPROPER PAYMENTS; AND
    8    D. THE MANNER IN WHICH AGENCIES SHALL REPORT ESTIMATES OF  THE  ANNUAL
    9  AMOUNT  OF IMPROPER PAYMENTS IN PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES, AND PROGRESS IN
   10  REDUCING THEM.
   11    3. THE IMPROPER PAYMENT ESTIMATE GUIDANCE GROUP SHALL THEREAFTER  MEET
   12  AT  ANY  TIME  AT  THE  CALL OF EITHER THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUDGET OR THE
   13  STATE COMPTROLLER; PROVIDED THAT SUCH GROUP SHALL  MEET  NO  FEWER  THAN
   14  ONCE EVERY FOUR YEARS TO REVIEW THE GUIDELINES.
   15    S 59.  APPLICATION OF ARTICLE. THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL:
   16    1.  APPLY TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAMS AND IMPROPER PAYMENTS MADE
   17  IN STATE FISCAL YEARS COMMENCING ON OR AFTER APRIL FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND
   18  ELEVEN; AND
   19    2.  REQUIRE  THE  INCLUSION  OF  THE  ESTIMATES,  REPORTED PURSUANT TO
   20  SECTION FIFTY-SEVEN-A OF THIS ARTICLE, IN THE AGENCY BUDGET  SUBMISSIONS
   21  FOR  STATE FISCAL YEARS COMMENCING ON OR AFTER APRIL FIRST, TWO THOUSAND
   22  TWELVE.
   23    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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