42-10-103. Enhanced eligibility verification process.

(a) Prior to awarding any public welfare benefit, and on a quarterly basis after any benefit is awarded, the department shall, to the extent practicable, determine the following information as it relates to each applicant for or recipient of a public welfare benefit:

(i) Earned and unearned income information maintained by the United States internal revenue service;

(ii) Weekly, monthly or quarterly reports of income and unemployment insurance payment information maintained by the department of workforce services;

(iii) Income information maintained by the United States social security administration;

(iv) Immigration status information maintained by the United States citizenship and immigration services;

(v) Death register information maintained by the United States social security administration;

(vi) Prisoner information maintained by the United States social security administration;

(vii) Public housing and section 8 housing assistance payment information;

(viii) Fleeing felon, probation or parole violation information;

(ix) Wage reporting information maintained by states contiguous to Wyoming;

(x) Beneficiary records and earnings information maintained by the United States social security administration in the beneficiary and earnings data exchange system;

(xi) Earnings and pension information maintained by the United States social security administration in the beneficiary earnings exchange record system;

(xii) Earnings and pension information maintained by the Wyoming retirement system;

(xiii) Employment information maintained by the department of workforce services;

(xiv) Employment information maintained by the United States department of health and human services in the national directory of new hires;

(xv) Supplemental security income information maintained by the United States social security administration in the social security income state data exchange system;

(xvi) Veterans' benefits information;

(xvii) Child care services information maintained by the department;

(xviii) Utility payment information maintained by the state under the low income home energy assistance program as provided in W.S. 42-2-501;

(xix) Emergency utility payment information maintained by the state or local governmental entities; and

(xx) Income and employment information maintained by the department and the United States department of health and human services office of child support enforcement.

(b) The department is authorized to enter into agreements with third-party vendors to obtain the following information prior to awarding any public welfare benefit, and on a quarterly basis after any benefit is awarded:

(i) Information on public welfare benefits received in other states maintained in any real time national database, including the national accuracy clearinghouse;

(ii) A nationwide public records data source of physical asset ownership including real property, automobiles, watercraft, aircraft, luxury vehicles or any other vehicle;

(iii) A nationwide public records data source of incarcerated individuals;

(iv) A nationwide best available address and driver's license data source to verify individuals are residents of Wyoming;

(v) A comprehensive public records database that identifies potential identity fraud or identity theft which can closely associate name, social security number, date of birth, phone and address information; or

(vi) National and local financial institutions, in order to locate undisclosed depository accounts or verify account balances of disclosed accounts.

(c) In addition to the records specified in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the department may also consider information from any database or source which is substantially similar to or a successor of any record, database or information specified under this section.