46-218

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.