BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 309
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 17, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 309 (Mitchell) - As Amended: March 19, 2013
Policy Committee: Human
ServicesVote:7 - 0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: Yes
SUMMARY
This bill clarifies requirements pertaining to CalFresh
applications submitted by homeless children and youth who are
not accompanied by a parent or guardian. Specifically, this
bill:
1)Clarifies that there are no minimum age requirements for
CalFresh eligibility except for those imposed by federal law.
2)Adds CalFresh eligibility criteria and specific information
regarding the eligibility of homeless children and youth to
annual trainings offered by the county welfare departments to
homeless shelter operators.
3)Requires county welfare agencies, upon receipt of a CalFresh
application from an unaccompanied child or youth, to determine
the child or youth's eligibility without unnecessary delay,
which shall include determining whether the child or youth is
eligible to apply as the sole member of the household and
screening the application for entitlement to expedited
services.
4)Requires county welfare agencies to provide written notice to
an unaccompanied homeless child or youth if his or her
CalFresh application is denied.
5)Adds information about targeting expedited CalFresh services
to unaccompanied homeless children and youth to the
information the Department of Social Services is already
required to develop on targeting services to the greater
homeless population, and requires that information to be
AB 309
Page 2
provided to local education agency liaisons for homeless
children and youth, as well as homeless shelters, emergency
food programs, and other community agencies that provide
services to homeless people.
FISCAL EFFECT
Costs associated with this legislation should be minor and
absorbable within existing resources.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . The intent of this bill is to ensure that
unaccompanied homeless youth, who are not under the care of a
parent or guardian, are able to access CalFresh benefits.
Additionally, this bill clarifies California law so that
county implementation is properly aligned with the intentions
of federal law.
According to the author, unaccompanied homeless minors are
sometimes denied CalFresh food benefits in counties where
interpretation of state law leads to the denial of CalFresh
benefits for unaccompanied youth. Unaccompanied youth include
young people who have run away, have been forced out, and/or
have been abandoned by their parent or guardian. Every year,
about 200,000 young people in California run away or are
forced out of their homes. Many flee their homes as a result
of physical and sexual abuse or neglect, are forced out
because they are pregnant, gay or lesbian, or are exiting from
the child welfare or juvenile justice system without an
identified housing destination. Some of these youth have
reported being denied CalFresh food benefits based on their
status as an unaccompanied youth.
Analysis Prepared by : Julie Salley-Gray / APPR. / (916)
319-2081