HB576 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Jim Patterson

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Public assistance, fraud in obtaining, crime established, penalties, theft of services, knowledge requirement deleted, Sec. 40-18-100 am'd.

Description

Existing law prohibits the use of fraudulent means to establish eligibility for public housing and Medicaid.

This bill would prohibit certain fraudulent conduct in obtaining public assistance under any state or federally funded public assistance program and would provide penalties.

This bill would provide for the forfeiture of any funds, proceeds, or property obtained by fraudulent conduct in obtaining public assistance.

This bill would also authorize the Department of Revenue to intercept state income tax refunds of individuals who owe debts to a public housing authority.

Amendment 621 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 111.05 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended, prohibits a general law whose purpose or effect would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds from becoming effective with regard to a local governmental entity without enactment by a 2/3 vote unless: it comes within one of a number of specified exceptions; it is approved by the affected entity; or the Legislature appropriates funds, or provides a local source of revenue, to the entity for the purpose.

The purpose or effect of this bill would be to require a new or increased expenditure of local funds within the meaning of the amendment. However, the bill does not require approval of a local governmental entity or enactment by a 2/3 vote to become effective because it comes within one of the specified exceptions contained in the amendment.

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Subjects

Crimes and Offenses