BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 69
Author: Beall (D), et al.
Amended: 8/30/11 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE : 7-0, 6/28/11
AYES: Liu, Emmerson, Berryhill, Hancock, Strickland,
Wright, Yee
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 7-2, 8/25/11
AYES: Kehoe, Alquist, Emmerson, Lieu, Pavley, Price,
Steinberg
NOES: Walters, Runner
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 54-21, 6/1/11 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Senior nutrition benefits
SOURCE : California Food Policy Advocates
Catholic Charities of California
DIGEST : This bill requires the Department of Social
Services (DSS), to the extent permitted by federal law, to
allow counties to utilize existing information maintained
by the Social Security Administration regarding low-income
social security benefit recipients to simplify enrollment
into CalFresh, and requires DSS to support enrollment
efforts through various activities, as specified.
ANALYSIS : Existing federal law creates the Supplemental
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Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps, and
state statute creates CalFresh to provide cash benefits for
eligible persons to purchase food.
This bill:
1. Makes findings and declarations about the importance of
good nutrition to seniors and the number of California
seniors whose limited incomes may imperil their diets.
2. Requires DSS to allow counties to use existing
information from Social Security Administration (SSA) to
identify low-income seniors and to simplify their
CalFresh enrollment as long as the counties have the
ability to adapt their existing automation systems
without significant changes or costs.
3. Requires DSS to support CalFresh enrollment efforts by:
A. Working with SSA to identify low-income seniors age
60 or older whose income and other factors are likely
to qualify them for CalFresh benefits;
B. Developing a streamlined application and
simplified enrollment process for likely eligible
recipients, which may include strategies used by
other states; and,
C. Seeking waivers, grants, or other necessary
federal authority and support.
4. Specifies that no costs to the State for automation and
makes this bill operative July 1, 2012.
Background
CalFresh participation and "cash out" of benefits for
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients:
Beginning in the 1970's, the Legislature calculated SSI
grants for aged and disabled individuals and couples to
reflect the inclusion of nutritional benefits - the old
food stamp program, now CalFresh. This "cash out" of food
stamps means that SSI recipients receive a larger grant
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rather than a grant plus the food-stamp script or the
electronic benefit card.
The "cash out" has meant that a large segment of the
lowest-income population of California seniors has been
ineligible for CalFresh, and it may have contributed to
confusion concerning seniors' eligibility for CalFresh.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Fund
Increased CalFresh Unknown;
increased benefits, Federal*
participation potentially in the low hundreds of
millions annually
CalFresh administration $2,700 to
$3,800 annually, dependent General
upon level of participation
Sales tax revenue
$1,000-$1,300 in 2011-12; potentially
General
$5,000 to $7,000 ongoing
* CalFresh benefits are 100 percent federally funded.
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/24/11)
California Food Policy Advocates (co-source)
Catholic Charities of California (co-source)
AARP
Alameda County Food Bank
California Association of Food Banks
California Catholic Conference, Inc.
California Commission on Aging
California Communities United Institute
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California Farm Bureau Federation
California Grocers Association
California Hunger Action Coalition
California Optometric Association
California Restaurant Association
California Retailers Association
California School Employees Association, AFL-CIO
California Senior Leaders Alliance
California Senior Legislature
City and County of San Francisco
Community Action Partnership of Orange County
Congress of California Seniors
County Welfare Directors Association
Food Share, Inc.
Hunger Action Los Angeles
JERICHO
Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles
Orange County Food Access Coalition
Second Harvest Food Bank, Santa Cruz County
Senior Services Coalition, Alameda County
St. Anthony's
United Way Silicon Valley
Western Center on Law and Poverty
OPPOSITION : (Verified 8/24/11)
California Right to Life Committee
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
senior participation in the CalFresh program is
disturbingly low, and this bill attempts to reach out to
this group to enroll them in CalFresh. Good nutrition is
important for seniors: it can improve resistance to
illness and disease, and it helps with management of
existing health problems. It can improve mental acuity and
increase longevity. In addition, for many seniors relying
on prescription medications, nutrition is vital as many
medications must be taken with food.
Many seniors are struggling, notes the author. According
to the California Health Interview Survey, nearly 20
percent of low-income seniors in California are "food
insecure" or an inability to secure adequate food. While a
number of programs exist to increase resources for food,
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one of the largest remains underutilized: only 10 percent
of eligible seniors participate in CalFresh and only 5
percent of eligible Social Security recipients in
California participate in CalFresh.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 54-21, 6/1/11
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall,
Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford, Brownley,
Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, Carter,
Cedillo, Chesbro, Davis, Dickinson, Eng, Feuer, Fletcher,
Fong, Fuentes, Furutani, Galgiani, Gatto, Gordon, Hall,
Hayashi, Roger Hernández, Hill, Huber, Hueso, Huffman,
Lara, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, Mitchell, Monning,
Nestande, Pan, Perea, Portantino, Skinner, Solorio,
Swanson, Torres, Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A.
Pérez
NOES: Conway, Cook, Donnelly, Beth Gaines, Grove, Hagman,
Halderman, Harkey, Jones, Knight, Logue, Mansoor, Miller,
Morrell, Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Silva, Smyth, Valadao,
Wagner
NO VOTE RECORDED: Bill Berryhill, Garrick, Gorell,
Jeffries, V. Manuel Pérez
CTW:kc 8/29/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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