BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE HUMAN
SERVICES COMMITTEE
Senator Carol Liu, Chair
BILL NO: AB 959
A
AUTHOR: Jones
B
VERSION: May 27, 2011
HEARING DATE: June 28, 2011
9
FISCAL: Appropriations
5
9
CONSULTANT:
Brown
SUBJECT
CalWORKs and CalFresh: reporting
SUMMARY
This bill would provide a one-month grace period to
participants in the CalWORKs and CalFresh programs for
filing required quarterly reports in order to avoid
re-application.
ABSTRACT
Current law
1) Establishes that counties must provide cash
assistance and other services to needy families
through the California Work Opportunity and
Responsibility to Kids program (CalWORKs) using a
combination of federal, state and county funds.
CalWORKs uses federal Temporary Assistance to Needy
Families (TANF) block grants for partial funding of
the program.
2) Establishes that counties are responsible for
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distributing funds to needy families from federal
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),
formerly called food stamps. California distributes
SNAP funds through its CalFresh program.
3) Requires quarterly submission of eligibility
information by participants in both programs.
4) Sanctions CalWORKs beneficiaries who do not submit
their quarterly reports on time by dis-enrolling them
from the program. To renew eligibility, current law
requires recipients to re-apply for the program.
This bill
1) Allows recipients who have been discontinued for
not submitting their quarterly reports to submit the
required forms within a month after discontinuance
without an interruption in enrollment.
2) Requires counties to pro-rate benefits to
recipients from the date they submit the completed
forms forward for the month after discontinuance of
benefits.
FISCAL IMPACT
According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, to the
extent counties are not processing re-applications for
recipients who were late in submitting receipts, there
would be administrative savings in both the CalWORKs and
CalFresh programs.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Under current law, CalWORKs and CalFresh recipients are
required to report their income, address change,
prospective income earnings, and other personal
circumstances to their county in what is known as a
quarterly report. These reports are provided to recipients
by county workers at the end of the second month of the
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three-month reporting period. Reports are due back to the
county by the 11th day of the third month of the reporting
period.
Recipients who do not have their forms turned in by the
11th day of the third month receives a notice from the
county warning that benefits will be terminated at the end
of the third month if the form is not received. Prior to
terminating benefits, state law requires counties to
attempt to contact recipients personally to remind them
that the forms are due.
When a completed form is turned in, the discontinuance
notice is rescinded and benefits continue. If the form is
not received by the last day of the third month, benefits
are terminated. Recipients who wish to continue benefits
are required to re-apply, a process which includes an
in-person interview, fingerprinting, and submission of a
new application.
The bill's purpose
This bill is intended to avoid a costly and time-consuming
re-application process for recipients of CalWORKs and
CalFresh who fail to submit their required paperwork on
time. Sponsored by San Diego County, the bill gives
recipients a grace period of one-month to submit the
paperwork without a required re-application and interview,
saving county administration funds and aiding families by
keeping them engaged in the program.
This bill would not reimburse recipients whose paperwork is
turned in late for the days missed between the last day of
the third month and the date paperwork is turned in.
However, once paperwork is turned in, the month's benefits
are prorated from that date forward, and the discontinuance
notice is rescinded.
Arguments in support
The bill's sponsor, San Diego County, writes that
processing a re-application can average three hours and
take up to 45 days, including conducting an interview,
fingerprinting the recipient and submitting paperwork. The
county states that it averages 90 CalWORKs reapplications
within each 30-day discontinuance period, or 1,080
re-applications annually. It projects this bill would save
270 hours of staff time per month, improve customer service
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and improve service to needy families.
Votes in the Assembly
Human Services: 6-0
Appropriations: 17-0
Floor: 75-0
QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS
CalFresh transitional benefits - suggested amendment
Per the Department of Social Services, when CalFresh
recipients are removed from eligibility, they automatically
are enrolled in a five-month transitional benefit program.
If they submit their paperwork late, and are reinstated
mid-month, DSS said this bill could result in beneficiaries
receiving both transitional CalFresh benefits and the
pro-rated benefits within the month they turn in paperwork.
After paperwork is turned in, benefits can be modified
beginning the following month.
The author may want to add language specifying that this
bill may not result in beneficiaries being paid CalFresh
transitional benefits and pro-rated CalFresh benefits
within the same month.
POSITIONS
Support: County of San Diego (sponsor)
California Association of Food Banks
California Hunger Action Coalition
California State Association of Counties
County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors
County Welfare Directors Association
National Association of Social Workers,
California Chapter
Urban Counties Caucus
Western Center on Law and Poverty
Oppose: None received
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