46-218. Finger imaging program; food stamps

A. The department shall establish a finger imaging program for the food stamp program pursuant to 7 United States Code section 2011.

B. As a condition of eligibility for the food stamp program, every adult applicant, adult recipient or eligible minor parent for the food stamp program shall be finger imaged as required by this section.

C. Finger imaging obtained pursuant to this section shall be used only for the purposes of determining eligibility for food stamps and preventing multiple enrollments in the program and may not be accessed by any other agency of this state for another purpose.

D. The department shall adopt rules:

1. Setting forth the finger imaging requirements and any exceptions to these requirements for physical or other impairment.

2. For administratively appealing multiple enrollment determinations.

E. An applicant or recipient for food stamps is not eligible for this assistance unless the adult applicant, adult recipient or eligible minor parent provides finger images pursuant to the finger imaging program.

F. If an adult applicant, adult recipient or eligible minor parent of food stamps refuses to comply with the finger imaging requirements, the department shall deny these benefits to the assistance unit.

G. If an adult applicant, adult recipient or eligible minor parent of food stamps complies with the finger imaging requirements and meets all other eligibility requirements, the department shall approve eligibility for benefits. If the finger image of an applicant or recipient for assistance matches another finger image on file, a fraud investigator shall be notified and the applicant or recipient shall be made aware of the match. If a finger image is not accessed within a one year period, it shall be purged from the file. If the investigator verifies the fraud, the department shall terminate benefits. The adult applicant, adult recipient or eligible minor parent may appeal this termination pursuant to section 46-205. If the match is appealed, the finger image match shall be verified by a trained individual before the termination of benefits.

H. The director of the department of economic security shall report to the chairperson of the senate appropriations committee and the chairperson of the house of representatives appropriations committee on February 15, 1997, and each year thereafter as to the actual and projected savings from reduced caseloads in the food stamp program directly attributable to the finger imaging program prescribed by this section.

46-218. Finger imaging program; food stamps

A. The department shall establish a finger imaging program for the food stamp program pursuant to 7 United States Code section 2011.

B. As a condition of eligibility for the food stamp program, every adult applicant, adult recipient or eligible minor parent for the food stamp program shall be finger imaged as required by this section.

C. Finger imaging obtained pursuant to this section shall be used only for the purposes of determining eligibility for food stamps and preventing multiple enrollments in the program and may not be accessed by any other agency of this state for another purpose.

D. The department shall adopt rules:

1. Setting forth the finger imaging requirements and any exceptions to these requirements for physical or other impairment.

2. For administratively appealing multiple enrollment determinations.

E. An applicant or recipient for food stamps is not eligible for this assistance unless the adult applicant, adult recipient or eligible minor parent provides finger images pursuant to the finger imaging program.

F. If an adult applicant, adult recipient or eligible minor parent of food stamps refuses to comply with the finger imaging requirements, the department shall deny these benefits to the assistance unit.

G. If an adult applicant, adult recipient or eligible minor parent of food stamps complies with the finger imaging requirements and meets all other eligibility requirements, the department shall approve eligibility for benefits. If the finger image of an applicant or recipient for assistance matches another finger image on file, a fraud investigator shall be notified and the applicant or recipient shall be made aware of the match. If a finger image is not accessed within a one year period, it shall be purged from the file. If the investigator verifies the fraud, the department shall terminate benefits. The adult applicant, adult recipient or eligible minor parent may appeal this termination pursuant to section 46-205. If the match is appealed, the finger image match shall be verified by a trained individual before the termination of benefits.

H. The director of the department of economic security shall report to the chairperson of the senate appropriations committee and the chairperson of the house of representatives appropriations committee on February 15, 1997, and each year thereafter as to the actual and projected savings from reduced caseloads in the food stamp program directly attributable to the finger imaging program prescribed by this section.