Prosecution of Fraudulent Claims

Sec. 22.0254. PROSECUTION OF FRAUDULENT CLAIMS. (a) The commission shall keep a record of the dispositions of referrals made by the commission to a district attorney concerning fraudulent claims for benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program or the program of financial assistance under Chapter 31. (b) The commission may: (1) request status information biweekly from the appropriate district attorney on each major fraudulent claim referred by the commission; (2) request a written explanation from the appropriate district attorney for each case referred in which the district attorney declines to prosecute; and (3) encourage the creation of a special welfare fraud unit in each district attorney's office that serves a municipality with a population of more than 250,000, to be financed by amounts provided by the commission. (c) The executive commissioner by rule may define what constitutes a major fraudulent claim under Subsection (b)(1). Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1153, Sec. 1.01(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 4.028, eff. April 2, 2015.