2010 Arizona Revised Statutes
Title 46 - Welfare
46-217 Finger imaging program; temporary assistance to needy families

46-217. Finger imaging program; temporary assistance to needy families

A. The department shall establish a finger imaging program.

B. Every adult applicant for or adult recipient or eligible minor parent recipient of temporary assistance for needy families as a condition of eligibility for assistance is required to be finger imaged as required by this section.

C. Finger images obtained pursuant to this section shall be used only for the purposes of determining eligibility for temporary assistance for needy families and preventing multiple enrollments in assistance programs and may not be accessed by any other agency of this state for another purpose.

D. The department shall adopt rules:

1. Setting forth the finger imaging requirements and any exceptions to these requirements for physical or other impairment.

2. For administratively appealing multiple enrollment determinations.

E. An applicant for or recipient of temporary assistance for needy families is not eligible for this assistance unless the adult applicant, adult recipient or eligible minor parent provides finger images pursuant to the finger imaging program.

F. If an adult applicant for or adult recipient or eligible minor parent recipient of temporary assistance for needy families refuses to comply with the finger imaging requirements the department shall deny these benefits to the assistance unit.

G. If an adult applicant for or adult recipient or eligible minor parent recipient of temporary assistance for needy families complies with the finger imaging requirements and meets all other eligibility requirements, the department shall approve these benefits. If the finger image of an applicant, adult recipient or eligible minor parent for assistance matches another finger image on file, a fraud investigator shall be notified and the applicant or recipient shall be made aware of the match. If a finger image is not accessed within a one year period, it shall be purged from the file. If the investigator verifies the fraud, the department shall terminate benefits. The applicant or recipient may appeal this termination pursuant to section 46-205. If the match is appealed, the finger image match shall be verified by a trained individual before the termination of benefits.

H. The director of the department of economic security shall report to the chairperson of the senate appropriations committee and the chairperson of the house of representatives appropriations committee on February 15, 1997, and each year thereafter as to the actual and projected savings from reduced caseloads in the temporary assistance for needy families program directly attributable to the finger imaging program prescribed by this section.