PROOF Act

This bill aims to enhance information-sharing capabilities between federal law enforcement and state agencies to detect, investigate, and prosecute fraud in specific federal programs. It mandates that the head of a State administering programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, unemployment compensation, various COVID-19 relief funds, and other identified programs, must provide information to the Attorney General upon written request for fraud investigations. The scope of information includes identity verification records, benefit disbursement logs, provider billing statements, and demographic data directly related to active fraud investigations.

To protect individual privacy, the bill requires the Attorney General to handle all obtained information in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 and, where applicable, HIPAA regulations. It also mandates the establishment of robust security protocols, ensuring that transferred information is encrypted using industry-standard protocols and accessible only by authorized personnel. Furthermore, the information must be destroyed and permanently removed from databases upon the conclusion of relevant legal proceedings or investigations, and its use is strictly limited to law enforcement purposes related to fraud, prohibiting disclosure for unrelated administrative or commercial uses.

The Attorney General is required to submit annual reports to Congress, detailing the number of requests issued to State agencies, the programs involved, and the number of fraud investigations initiated and convictions secured using the shared information. This reporting mechanism ensures oversight and accountability regarding the implementation of the information-sharing provisions. The Act is set to take effect 60 days after its enactment.