With broad support from law enforcement and prosecutors, legislation preventing fraudulent unemployment claims has passed out of the Assembly’s Consumer Privacy and Protection Committee. AB 110, authored by Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, will require the Employment Development Department (EDD) to cross-check incarceration records in order to prevent paying fraudulent benefits. “In the midst of this terrible crisis, fraudsters and criminals spotted an opportunity to bilk California taxpayers for billions of dollars,” said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Laguna Beach). “AB110 is a simple, common sense step to stop unemployment insurance fraud involving California inmates.” Over the past year, district attorneys across California have uncovered multiple fraud rings involving state prisoners who coordinated with non-incarcerated accomplices to file unemployment benefits under the federally funded Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program. The California State Auditor discovered that between January 2020 and November 2020, EDD paid $810 million in benefits associated with incarcerated individuals. Nearly one billion taxpayer dollars were lost because EDD does not have a system to regularly crossmatch unemployment claims with information from correctional facilities.