53-2-211. Department to share eligibility data. - Montana Statutes

     53-2-211. Department to share eligibility data. (1) The department shall make available to the unemployment compensation program of the department of labor and industry all information contained in its files and records pertaining to eligibility of persons for medicaid, financial assistance and nonfinancial assistance, as defined in 53-2-902, and food stamps. The information made available must include information on the amount and source of an applicant's income. The information received from the department must be used by the department of labor and industry for the purpose of determining fraud, abuse, or eligibility for benefits under the unemployment compensation program of the state and for no other purpose.
     (2) The department shall make available to the unemployment compensation and workers' compensation programs of the department of labor and industry all information contained in its files and records pertaining to eligibility of persons for low-income energy assistance and weatherization. The information made available must include information on the amount and source of an applicant's income. The information received from the department must be used by the department of labor and industry for the purpose of determining fraud, abuse, or eligibility for benefits under the unemployment compensation and workers' compensation programs of the state and for no other purpose.
     (3) (a) Subject to federal restrictions, the department may request information from the department of labor and industry pertaining to unemployment, workers' compensation, and occupational disease benefits. If the department of labor and industry discovers evidence relating to fraud or abuse for unemployment, workers' compensation, or occupational benefits, the department of labor and industry may request information from the department of revenue pertaining to income as provided in 15-30-2618(8)(c).
     (b) The information must be used by the department for the purpose of determining fraud, abuse, or eligibility for benefits.
     (4) The department may, to the extent permitted by federal law, make available to an agency of the state or to any other organization information contained in its files and records pertaining to the eligibility of persons for medicaid, financial assistance and nonfinancial assistance, as defined in 53-2-902, food stamps, low-income energy assistance, weatherization, or other public assistance.

     History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 410, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 16, Ch. 491, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 486, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 465, L. 2001.