The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has issued instructions implementing SB 360 regarding criminal prosecution for welfare fraud based on a match from the Income and Eligibility and Verification (IEVS) system.
Counties must review and compare information from IEVS with the case record to determine any differences that affect eligibility or benefit levels. If there are differences that would affect eligibility or benefit level, the county must mail the client a verification letter within 45 days of receiving the IEVS data. In addition, counties must establish an overpayment or overissuance by the end of the quarter following the quarter in which the county received the IEVS data.
The client can no longer be subject to criminal prosecution for any month following the 45th day of the county’s receipt of the IEVS data if the county does not provide the client a verification letter within 45 days of receiving the data or the county does not establish the overpayment or overissuance by the end of the quarter following the quarter in which the county received the IEVS data. (ACL 18-22, March 27, 2018.)