Broadens the scope of GS 108A-55.5 to include eligibility monitoring for public assistance, including food stamps (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and Children (TANF), and Medicaid (currently, just pertains to verification for medical assistance).  Defines five terms, including homeless individual (an individual who (1) has resided in a public shelter for a period of at least 30 days or (2) has no indoor shelter available and is on the waiting list of a public housing authority for benefits) and public assistance (health and medical assistance and public housing assistance provided by a public housing authority). Prevents any individual from claiming a homelessness exemption from a work requirement unless and until the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) verifies they are a homeless individual through documentation. On at least a monthly basis unless otherwise specified, requires DHHS and governmental public housing entities to review lottery data, household information from the NC Office of Vital Records (quarterly), out-of-state EBT card transactions, tax records (quarterly), information from the Department of Adult Corrections (DAC), income and other asset information from the Department of Commerce (DOC) (semimonthly), and federal tax, employment, and criminal history information, as described, to verify the program participant’s continued eligibility for (1) SNAP, TANF, and/or Medicaid (DHHS) and/or (2) public housing (public housing agencies). (Currently, reviews take place on a quarterly basis of nine specified matters including, employment status, death records, lottery winnings, and earned and unearned income).

Requires DHHS, in coordination with federal and state law enforcement, to conduct annual on-site inspections of retailers that accept EBT to identify suspicious transaction records or amounts indicating possible trafficking of benefits or other criminal conduct and make referrals for proper investigations under applicable law. Directs DHHS to make quarterly postings to the public on its website aggregated data from findings of noncompliance and fraud investigations in health and medical assistance programs, as described. Prevents DHHS from accepting self-attestation on Medicaid applications unless it is required to do so under federal law. Prevents DHHS from waiving its authority to periodically verify income eligibility. Unless required under federal law, instructs DHHS to verify all conditions of eligibility for Medicaid prior to enrollment. Specifies that DHHS may not conduct post-enrollment verification without specific authorization set forth in enactments by the General Assembly. Requires public housing authorities to submit a report to the Attorney General (AG) at least once per year detailing its described child support requirement. Charges the AG with determining and enforcing compliance with GS 108A-55.5, as described. Adds 60-day deadline for DHHS or a public housing authority to respond, as specified, to a beneficiary’s written disagreement  to a change in benefits based on its review of the information above. Provides for written agreements between agencies for information as well as third party contracts to obtain such data. Requires DHHS to promulgate rules to carry out GS 108A-55.5. Makes conforming changes.

Effective January 1, 2026.