HB 1473 - Welfare Fraud Prevention Act of 2020

• Establishes Public Welfare Oversight Task Force composed of state officials and appointees to track eligibility verification systems, prevent fraud, and advise legislature on improving public welfare program integrity; task force repeals December 31, 2024.

• Reduces TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) time limit from 60 months to 24 months, with exceptions for individuals who were not heads of household as minors or served as foster parents/unrelated adults in child-only cases.

• Requires Department of Human Services to assign certain SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) recipients to employment and training programs as condition of program participation.

• Directs all public housing authorities to seek federal waiver by January 1, 2021 to screen applicants and recipients for unemployment/underemployment, create employability plans requiring 20 hours weekly work/education, and impose loss of benefits for non-compliance.

• Requires public housing authorities to give highest preference in distributing housing benefits to families where all able-bodied adults are employed.