Bill > HF249

This bill expands the existing legal framework for recovering inappropriately obtained benefits from state departments, specifically adding the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSDMEM) to provisions previously applying only to the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill allows the state to establish liens on a person's property for benefits improperly received, but explicitly clarifies that liens will only attach to amounts obtained through false or misleading information, not to benefits incorrectly distributed due to departmental errors. The legislation also requires county recorders to maintain an index of these liens and mandates that the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing collect these debts. A new section is added to Section 29C.26 that provides HSDMEM with specific procedures for addressing fraud or misrepresentation in benefit claims, including the ability to refer suspected fraud cases to other state entities, remove recipients from public assistance programs, and use wage or tax refund garnishment to recover fraudulently obtained benefits. The bill will take effect on July 1, 2025, and aims to strengthen the state's ability to recover improperly obtained emergency management and disaster relief benefits.

Government Affairs

Public Safety (House)

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=91&ba=HF249