BILL NUMBER: AB 309 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 97
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE AUGUST 13, 2013
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR AUGUST 13, 2013
PASSED THE SENATE JULY 1, 2013
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY JULY 3, 2013
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 25, 2013
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 19, 2013
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Mitchell
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano, Chesbro, Eggman, and Ting)
(Coauthor: Senator Beall)
FEBRUARY 12, 2013
An act to amend Sections 18901 and 18904.25 of, and to repeal
Section 18914 of, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to
public social services.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 309, Mitchell. CalFresh: homeless youth.
Existing federal law provides for the federal Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh,
formerly the Food Stamp Program, under which supplemental nutrition
assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government
are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Under
existing law, households are eligible to receive CalFresh benefits to
the extent permitted by federal law. Further, existing law requires
county welfare departments to develop information, and make that
information available to homeless shelters, emergency food programs,
and other community agencies that provide services to homeless
people, on expedited services targeted to the homeless and to provide
training to homeless shelter operators on CalFresh application
procedures.
This bill would clarify that eligibility for CalFresh benefits,
including expedited services, is not dependent on the age of an
applicant and would require county welfare departments, upon receipt
of a signed CalFresh application from an unaccompanied child or youth
under 18 years of age, to determine his or her eligibility for
benefits, as specified, and entitlement to expedited services, as
specified. If the application is denied, the county welfare
department would be required to notify the child or youth in writing
of the reason for the denial. This bill would also require that
county welfare departments make information about CalFresh expedited
services targeted to the homeless population available to local
educational agency liaisons, as defined, and include information
regarding CalFresh eligibility for unaccompanied homeless children
and youths in the training provided to homeless shelter operators.
By expanding the number of people a county welfare department must
make information available to, and requiring county welfare
departments to augment the training they provide to homeless shelter
operators and provide notice, as specified, to an unaccompanied child
or youth, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local
agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the
state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that
reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates
determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state,
reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these
statutory provisions.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 18901 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
18901. (a) The eligibility of households shall be determined to
the extent permitted by federal law.
(b) In determining eligibility for CalFresh, no minimum age
requirement shall be imposed other than those that exist under
federal law.
SEC. 2. Section 18904.25 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
18904.25. (a) Pursuant to the federal Stewart B. McKinney
Homeless Assistance Act (Public Law 100-77), the department shall
develop CalFresh information on expedited services targeted to the
homeless population, including unaccompanied homeless children and
youths, as those terms are defined in Section 11434a of Title 42 of
the United States Code. This information shall be made available to
homeless shelters, emergency food programs, local educational agency
liaisons for homeless children and youths, designated pursuant to
Section 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii) of Title 42 of the United States Code, and
other community agencies who provide services to homeless people.
(b) Each county welfare department shall annually offer training
on CalFresh application procedures to homeless shelter operators.
That training shall include eligibility criteria and specific
information regarding the eligibility of unaccompanied homeless
children and youths. In addition, each county welfare department,
upon request, shall provide homeless shelters with a supply of that
portion of the CalFresh application used to request CalFresh
expedited service.
(c) Upon receipt of a signed CalFresh application from an
unaccompanied child or youth under 18 years of age, the county
welfare department shall determine eligibility for CalFresh benefits,
including making a determination of whether the child or youth is
eligible to apply as a household of one or if he or she must apply
with members of a household with whom he or she is regularly
purchasing and preparing foods, and screen the application for
entitlement to expedited service pursuant to Section 18914. If the
application of the child or youth for CalFresh benefits is denied,
the county welfare department shall provide the child or youth a
written notice explaining the reason for the denial.
SEC. 3. Section 18914 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, as
amended by Section 89 of Chapter 227 of the Statutes of 2011, is
repealed.
SEC. 4. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.