HR 1755
Timely and Accurate Benefits Act
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Bill overview
This bill aims to improve the accuracy of benefits programs by requiring states to use an ‘Enhanced Income Verification Platform.’ This platform will gather a more comprehensive picture of an individual’s income, including sources like gig work, rental income, and government assistance, to ensure that benefits are distributed appropriately. The goal is to reduce improper payments and increase the timeliness of benefits delivery.
Key provisions
- States must procure and use an Enhanced Income Verification Platform within one year of enactment.
- The platform must utilize automated data matching and analytics to verify income.
- The platform will access applicant-permissioned deposit account transaction data.
- The platform must identify and consolidate overlapping financial records.
- ‘Enhanced Gross Income’ is defined broadly to include various income sources.
- The definition of ‘Covered Federal benefit program’ is expanded to include a wider range of government-administered programs.
Who is affected
- States
- Federal government agencies
- Individuals and households receiving benefits
- Government benefit programs
Notable changes
- Expands the definition of income considered for benefit eligibility.
- Requires states to utilize a new, more comprehensive income verification system.
- Allows access to consumer deposit account data with applicant permission.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
Primary sponsor
William R. Timmons
Cosponsors
Marjorie Taylor Greene
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 1755
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To require an income verification platform for certain Federal benefit funds, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the Timely and Accurate Benefits Act
.
To be eligible to receive Federal funds for a covered Federal benefit program, a State, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, shall procure, contract, and use an Enhanced Income Verification Platform.
In this Act:
covered Federal benefit programmeans any program administered by the Federal government, or by a State or local government using Federal funds, in which eligibility for benefits, or the amount of benefits, is determined, in whole or in part, based on the income of an individual or household.
The term enhanced gross income
means—
wages, salaries, tips included and not included on pay stubs, and other compensation from all forms of employment, including traditional W–2 employment not provided by existing data sources, contract work, self-employment, and participation in the gig economy;
unemployment compensation;
Social Security benefits, including retirement, disability, and survivor benefits;
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments;
interest and dividends;
short-term and long-term rental income;
royalties;
child support and alimony payments received;
cash assistance from government programs;
regular or recurring gifts or contributions from individuals or organizations;
distributions from trusts or estates;
any other source of income, whether taxable or non-taxable, that is available to the individual or household to meet their needs, as determined by the Secretary; and
other income identified and verified through consumer-permissioned direct access to deposit account transaction data.
Enhanced Income Verification Platformmeans—
services incorporating automated, real-time data matching and analytics to proactively identify and verify potential instances of unreported or underreported enhanced gross income, inconsistent income reporting, or other indicators of potential ineligibility or improper payments;
receiving and analyzing applicant-permissioned deposit account transactional data that identifies and verifies sources of enhanced gross income not currently obtained through existing data sources that provide for payroll, new-hire and latent State and Federal tax data, with the option for the claimant to review and attest to the accuracy of the data; and
the ability to identify and consolidate overlapping data to avoid double-counting of financial records.
The term State
means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and each territory and possession of the United States.