Bill > S1497

This bill expands the authority of the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI), a state agency responsible for investigating fraud and other issues within government programs. Specifically, it grants the BSI the power to investigate complaints, including those from program recipients, about fraudulent claims or payments, or situations where someone receives benefits they are not entitled to, not only for programs administered by the Department of Public Welfare and the Department of Social Services, but also for programs run by local or regional housing authorities. The bill also clarifies that the BSI can report findings of ineligibility or suspected fraud in housing authority programs to the relevant housing authority director and, in cases of probable cause for fraud, to the Attorney General or a district attorney for further action. Additionally, it amends a different law to state that certain housing authority actions may be subject to investigation by the BSI.