Authority: Title 63.1, Chapter 1, Code of Virginia.
A. It is the intent of the General Assembly that the Department establish a Statewide Electronic Benefits Transfer System, contingent upon favorable action by the Federal Reserve Board regarding Regulation E.
B.1. Except as specifically provided for in Items 14. F. and 383. C., of this act, no funds appropriated by this act shall be used to: (i) plan, or implement any plan, to privatize, out-source, contract for, or in any other way alter the practices of providing computer services which were provided to the Department of Social Services on January 1, 1996, by the state data center which is maintained by the Department of Information Technology, or (ii) transfer to any other data center or data computer services provider, except in a disaster, computer systems operating at the state data center which is maintained by the Department of Information Technology on January 1, 1996.
2. Neither the Director of the Department of Social Services, nor any employee of the Commonwealth acting on his behalf, shall incur any obligation with, or make any payments to, a provider of the computer services set out in paragraph B.1. of this Item, other than the Department of Information Technology.
3. In implementing the provisions of this paragraph: (i) the Comptroller shall process no vouchers for payments prohibited by paragraph B.1., (ii) the Treasurer shall issue no warrants for payments prohibited by paragraph B.1., and (iii) in the event such payments are made, the Attorney General shall take immediate action to recover the full amount of such payment from the individuals who authorized the payment and the recipient.
C. The Commissioner of the Department of Social Services and the Secretaries of Administration and Health and Human Resources shall develop an automated system for eligibility and service programs that include Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Food Stamps, and Medicaid. The maximum use of federal funds for this purpose shall be explored. The Department shall continue the four pilot sites and bring on-line the next six sites that are due to come on-line under the Application Benefit Delivery Automation Project (ADAPT) in fiscal years 1997 and 1998.
D. The Application Benefit Delivery Automation Project (ADAPT) Task Force shall report its recommendations to the Governor and the Chairmen of the following committees: House Appropriations, House Health, Welfare and Institutions, Senate Finance, and Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services no later than July 15, 1996. Before implementing any of the Task Force's recommendations or other actions pertaining to an automated eligibility system, the Commissioner shall advise these Committee Chairmen of the feasibility and cost of implementing the recommendations. If any of the Committee Chairmen determines that a public hearing is desirable, they shall so advise the Commissioner within 15 days. Implementation of the recommendations shall thereafter be delayed for up to 30 days. The results of any recommendations implemented shall be reported to the Committee Chairmen by December 1, 1996.
E. Out of this appropriation shall be provided $25,000 in the first year and $25,000 in the second year from the general fund for the Richmond One to One Partnership.