Relating to the recovery of benefits inappropriately obtained from the department of homeland security and emergency management

Under current law, the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing (DIAL) has the authority to collect payments inappropriately obtained from the department of health and human services. This bill expands those provisions to allow DIAL to collect payments inappropriately obtained from the department of homeland security and emergency management (HSEM). The bill makes benefits obtained through false, misleading, incomplete, or inaccurate information given to HSEM a lien in favor of the state upon a person’s property and requires county recorders to prepare and maintain in the recorder’s office an index of liens owed to HSEM. The bill requires DIAL to collect delinquent debts owed HSEM as soon as practicable. By operation of law, the associated provisions relating to lien attachment, length, preservation, and satisfaction, payment of recording fees by DIAL, distress warrants, and action by the attorney general apply to the inappropriately obtained HSEM benefits. HSEM may refer cases of suspected fraud from the disaster aid individual assistance grant program and the disaster case advocacy grant program to DIAL or other state entities for review. If a person is convicted of fraud, the state must review all legal options until HSEM recovers an amount equal to the benefits fraudulently claimed. HSEM may also refer suspected cases of impropriety in other programs to the appropriate state entity.