BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 402
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 4, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 402 (Skinner) - As Amended: April 26, 2011
Policy Committee: Education
Vote:7-2
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes a school district and county office of
education (COE) to incorporate CalFresh program information into
the School Lunch (SL) program application. Specifically, this
bill:
1)Requires the following information be incorporated into the SL
program application (at the option of the district or to the
extent necessary to implement the CalFresh program): pupil
eligibility; parental consent regarding forwarding any
eligibility information to the agency that administers the
CalFresh program; information about the CalFresh program;
notification that SL program information is confidential
(unless authorized by the parent); and notification that SL
program information will only be used by CalFresh state and
local agencies, as specified.
2)Authorizes districts and COEs to implement a process to share
information provided on the SL program application with the
local agency that determines CalFresh program eligibility.
3)Requires each county to use information shared from the SL
program application to determine CalFresh program eligibility
and enroll eligible children in the CalFresh program, upon
receipt of a signed application.
4)Requires the county to notify the parent/guardian that his or
her family is eligible for the CalFresh program, if the county
determines eligibility from the SL program application.
5)Requires the county to contact the parent/guardian of a child
to seek additional information regarding eligibility, if the
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county is unable to determine eligibility in the CalFresh
program from the SL application, as specified.
6)Requires each county to request information from a
parent/guardian that will ensure sustained participation in
the CalFresh program. This measure also requires the county
to deny or discontinue CalFresh program benefits if the
parent/guardian does not provide this information.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)One-time GF/98 cost pressure, likely between $250,000 and
$500,000, to school districts and COEs to revise the SL
program application, as specified. There were 1,021 districts
and COEs in the state in 2009-10. If this process leads to
increase eligibility in the CalFresh program, the state will
receive an increase in federal funds to implement this
program.
2)The 2010 Budget Act allocated approximately $1.29 billion for
the SL program. Of this amount, approximately $1.2 billion is
federal funding and $93.8 million is GF/98.
COMMENTS
1)Background . The CalFresh program, formerly known as Food
Stamps, provides food to low-income individuals with a maximum
gross income of 130% of federal poverty level ($28,665 for a
family of four) and a net income of 100% of federal poverty
guidelines, as specified. The cost of this program is borne
entirely by the federal government. Associated administrative
costs are shared between the federal government (50%), the
state (35%), and the counties (15%).
Existing law requires all public school districts and COEs to
make available, free or at a reduced price, one nutritionally
adequate meal to each needy student every school day. A needy
student is one who qualifies for free or reduced price meals,
according to specified family size and income standards.
2)Rationale . The United States Department of Agriculture
studies reveal that only 50% of eligible Californians receive
CalFresh. According to the author, "Although 3.4 million
children are now eligible for school meal programs, a large
number of these children and their families are not
participating in CalFresh. California loses nearly $5 billion
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in federal food benefits and $1.7 billion in generated
economic activity due to low CalFresh participation rates. AB
402 allows school districts to use their school meal
application as a tool to increase CalFresh participation by
sharing information with local social services agencies."
3)Existing law authorizes school districts and COEs to establish
a process to share information provided under the SL program
application with the local entity that determines eligibility
under the Medi-Cal program. This bill attempts to establish a
similar process between districts and COEs for the CalFresh
program, as specified.
4)The SL program is a federally funded reimbursement program
that assists schools and other agencies in providing
nutritious lunches to children at reasonable prices. The
program is required to available to all enrolled children.
Free or reduced price meals must be provided to those children
who qualify for such benefits according to specified family
size and income standards. According to the State Department
of Education, 580.8 million school lunches were served in
2009-10. Of the number, 390 million meals were free and 70.2
million meals were a reduced price. Approximately 1,000
school districts, COEs, and charter schools participated in SL
program during this time period.
Analysis Prepared by : Kimberly Rodriguez / APPR. / (916)
319-2081