S.B. 1020: COMMITTEE SUMMARY - FINGER IMAGING FOR PUB. ASSIST.

Senate Bill 1020 (as introduced 3-18-98)

Sponsor: Senator Leon Stille

Committee: Families, Mental Health and Human Services


Date Completed: 3-25-98


CONTENT


The bill would amend the Social Welfare Act to require that, not later than January 1, 1999, the Family Independence Agency (FIA) implement an automated finger imaging system designed to prevent an individual from receiving temporary aid to needy families, family independence assistance, food stamps, and similar public assistance benefits under more than one name. Beginning on the bill's effective date, an individual applying for public assistance benefits would have to provide the FIA with an automated finger image as a condition of eligibility.


The FIA would have to promulgate rules under the Administrative Procedures Act establishing an automated finger imaging system that, at a minimum, included both of the following:


-- Confidentiality of the finger image records taken under the bill.

-- A system of administrative appeal of any matter relating to the taking or verification of a person's finger image.


MCL 400.57a - Legislative Analyst: P. Affholter


FISCAL IMPACT


The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on State government. A review of other states that have implemented a state-wide or a pilot project finger imaging system suggests that the State of Arizona pilot project may be appropriate to compare with Michigan's system needs. The Arizona pilot project was run in one state district or region. The contract for system start-up and six months of services was approximately $700,000 for a pilot project. Contract services included a public information campaign, employee training, development of guidelines, policies and procedures, pilot project evaluation and state-wide expansion to all 88 local offices. A final contract cost for the state-wide system includes an estimated volume of 600,000 fingerprint image transactions (including two print images per transaction) for a fixed annual fee of approximately $921,000, and approximately 30 cents for each transaction over the original volume for a period of five years. The total five-year period contract cost is approximately $4.4 million.


- Fiscal Analyst: C. Cole

S9798\S1020SA

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.