As introduced: This bill attempts to simplify and streamline public benefit requirements by:
- requiring alignment of verification procedures across various public benefit programs;
- maintaining legislative oversight over public benefit administration by requiring the collection and reporting of data relating to access to public benefit programs and case closures;
- coordinating renewals for public benefits by using the longest eligibility period
allowable under federal law, renew programs simultaneously, and prevent case closings for reasons other than ineligibility;
- allowing information used to determine eligibility for one public benefit program to be used to determine eligibility for others;
- eliminating asset limits to the extent currently applied to eligibility for benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program;
- broadening acceptable attestations for the purpose of determining eligibility for benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program;
- expanding the use of federal, state, and commercial databases to verify eligibility for public benefit programs.
Introducing Senator(s): Cook
Committee: Health and Human Services Committee
Committee Hearing Date: February 1, 2012
Current Status: Indefinitely Postponed. Portions of LB 1041 were amended into LB 825, but removed before final reading.
Estimated Fiscal Impact: The easing of the application and renewal process and extending eligibility time periods to the longest periods allowed by federal law would increase aid costs. The extent to which costs will increase cannot be determined.
Voices for Children Position: Support
Voices for Children supported this bill because it attempts to modernize our public benefit programs and make them easier for consumers. Nebraska’s use of a new online and phone benefits access system has created many barriers for consumers. This bill aims to ease the program verification requirements to simplify the application and renewal process for consumers and Health and Human Services staff.
