Okla. Stat. tit. 56, § 56-171
This is the official text of Okla. Stat. tit. 56, § 56-171, part of Oklahoma’s Stat. tit. 56, — part of the compiled statutory law of Oklahoma, published by the state as "Stat. tit. 56,." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
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Disclosure of property and income - Overpayments or
Official statutory text
payments resulting from misrepresentation or concealment - Notice of
sale or encumbrance.
Any applicant for assistance under this act shall set forth upon
the form prescribed by the Department of Human Services all his real
and personal property and income from whatever sources. If the
recipient of assistance under this act thereafter becomes possessed
of real property, or if such recipient comes into possession of
personal property or money in excess of that given in the
application for assistance and in such amount as would materially
affect his right to assistance, it shall be the duty of the
recipient immediately to notify the Department of the receipt and
possession of such property, real or personal, or money. Provided,
however, when assistance grants available are insufficient to meet
the needs of a recipient as determined by the Department, such
recipient may earn or receive the difference between such assistance
grant and the budgetary needs of the recipient subject to
availability of funds appropriated for this purpose. If any
recipient receives overpayment of assistance under this act, or
receives assistance while ineligible therefor under this act,
through misrepresentation or concealment of material facts, either
in his original application or thereafter, materially affecting the
amount of assistance, the Department may, upon investigation, either
cancel the assistance or reduce the amount thereof in accordance
with the circumstances.
If any recipient conceals any resource, either in his original
application or thereafter, which would render the recipient
ineligible for public assistance, such recipient shall be liable for
the entire amount of assistance paid during the period of
ineligibility. If, during the continuance of assistance, a
recipient comes into possession of any money or resource which does
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 56. Poor Persons Page 55
not render him completely ineligible for assistance but which, if
reported, would have reduced the amount of his assistance grant,
such recipient shall be liable for the excess paid by the Department
over the amount which the Department would have paid had the money
or resources been reported. The Department may bring an action in a
court of competent jurisdiction for the amount paid an ineligible
recipient or the amount of the overpayment, as the case may be,
unless the recipient voluntarily acknowledges the indebtedness,
voluntarily gives a lien upon his property or voluntarily makes
repayment. Providing, however, that the Department of Human
Services shall credit any recipient who has received assistance
while ineligible by reason of such fraud, misrepresentation and
concealment of facts for the time he has been held off the rolls
according to the budgetary requirements in effect during the time he
has remained off the rolls and such amount shall be deducted from
the amount found to have been received ineligibly, by means of such
fraud and misrepresentation. After the fact and amount of
indebtedness has been established by a court of competent
jurisdiction, the Department shall proceed to collect said judgment
as other judgments for money are collected and all sums recovered
under such judgments shall be paid into the State Treasury to the
credit of the Human Services Medical and Assistance Fund; provided,
however, that an action to establish the fact and amount of
overpayment under the provisions of this act must be brought within
one (1) year from the date of the discovery of the overpayment,
misrepresentation or concealment of material facts by the recipient.
Such judgment shall be a lien upon all assets, except the homestead
and exempt personal property of such recipient, while the same are
exempt from execution under the laws of the State of Oklahoma. Any
funds received through the voluntary action of the recipient shall
be paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the Human Services
ntation or concealment of material facts by the recipient.
Such judgment shall be a lien upon all assets, except the homestead
and exempt personal property of such recipient, while the same are
exempt from execution under the laws of the State of Oklahoma. Any
funds received through the voluntary action of the recipient shall
be paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the Human Services
Medical and Assistance Fund.
Any recipient hereunder who sells, conveys or encumbers any real
property belonging to him, or any interest therein, shall
immediately notify the Department of same, giving the legal
description of said property and nature and amount of consideration.
Failure to make the report shall be cause for forfeiture of a
recipient's right to assistance, in the discretion of the
Department.
Added by State Question No. 226, Initiative Petition No. 155, § 11,
adopted July 7, 1936. Amended by Laws 1939, p. 90, § 10, emerg.
eff. May 9, 1939; Laws 1951, p. 158, § 4, emerg. eff. June 1, 1951;
sale or encumbrance.
Any applicant for assistance under this act shall set forth upon
the form prescribed by the Department of Human Services all his real
and personal property and income from whatever sources. If the
recipient of assistance under this act thereafter becomes possessed
of real property, or if such recipient comes into possession of
personal property or money in excess of that given in the
application for assistance and in such amount as would materially
affect his right to assistance, it shall be the duty of the
recipient immediately to notify the Department of the receipt and
possession of such property, real or personal, or money. Provided,
however, when assistance grants available are insufficient to meet
the needs of a recipient as determined by the Department, such
recipient may earn or receive the difference between such assistance
grant and the budgetary needs of the recipient subject to
availability of funds appropriated for this purpose. If any
recipient receives overpayment of assistance under this act, or
receives assistance while ineligible therefor under this act,
through misrepresentation or concealment of material facts, either
in his original application or thereafter, materially affecting the
amount of assistance, the Department may, upon investigation, either
cancel the assistance or reduce the amount thereof in accordance
with the circumstances.
If any recipient conceals any resource, either in his original
application or thereafter, which would render the recipient
ineligible for public assistance, such recipient shall be liable for
the entire amount of assistance paid during the period of
ineligibility. If, during the continuance of assistance, a
recipient comes into possession of any money or resource which does
Oklahoma Statutes - Title 56. Poor Persons Page 55
not render him completely ineligible for assistance but which, if
reported, would have reduced the amount of his assistance grant,
such recipient shall be liable for the excess paid by the Department
over the amount which the Department would have paid had the money
or resources been reported. The Department may bring an action in a
court of competent jurisdiction for the amount paid an ineligible
recipient or the amount of the overpayment, as the case may be,
unless the recipient voluntarily acknowledges the indebtedness,
voluntarily gives a lien upon his property or voluntarily makes
repayment. Providing, however, that the Department of Human
Services shall credit any recipient who has received assistance
while ineligible by reason of such fraud, misrepresentation and
concealment of facts for the time he has been held off the rolls
according to the budgetary requirements in effect during the time he
has remained off the rolls and such amount shall be deducted from
the amount found to have been received ineligibly, by means of such
fraud and misrepresentation. After the fact and amount of
indebtedness has been established by a court of competent
jurisdiction, the Department shall proceed to collect said judgment
as other judgments for money are collected and all sums recovered
under such judgments shall be paid into the State Treasury to the
credit of the Human Services Medical and Assistance Fund; provided,
however, that an action to establish the fact and amount of
overpayment under the provisions of this act must be brought within
one (1) year from the date of the discovery of the overpayment,
misrepresentation or concealment of material facts by the recipient.
Such judgment shall be a lien upon all assets, except the homestead
and exempt personal property of such recipient, while the same are
exempt from execution under the laws of the State of Oklahoma. Any
funds received through the voluntary action of the recipient shall
be paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the Human Services
ntation or concealment of material facts by the recipient.
Such judgment shall be a lien upon all assets, except the homestead
and exempt personal property of such recipient, while the same are
exempt from execution under the laws of the State of Oklahoma. Any
funds received through the voluntary action of the recipient shall
be paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the Human Services
Medical and Assistance Fund.
Any recipient hereunder who sells, conveys or encumbers any real
property belonging to him, or any interest therein, shall
immediately notify the Department of same, giving the legal
description of said property and nature and amount of consideration.
Failure to make the report shall be cause for forfeiture of a
recipient's right to assistance, in the discretion of the
Department.
Added by State Question No. 226, Initiative Petition No. 155, § 11,
adopted July 7, 1936. Amended by Laws 1939, p. 90, § 10, emerg.
eff. May 9, 1939; Laws 1951, p. 158, § 4, emerg. eff. June 1, 1951;
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
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