California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 1930


Introduced by Assembly Member Skinner

February 19, 2014


An act to add Section 18901.11 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to public social services.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1930, as introduced, Skinner. CalFresh: student eligibility.

Existing federal law, the Food Stamp Act, provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh. The act allocates supplemental nutrition assistance benefits to the state to be distributed to eligible individuals by each county. The act generally requires each household member, as a condition of SNAP eligibility, to comply with specified work requirements, including participation in a Food Stamp Employment and Training (E&T) program administered by a state agency, as specified, unless an exemption applies. The act further provides that students who are enrolled in college or other institutions of higher education at least half time are not eligible for SNAP benefits unless they meet one of several exemptions, including working at least 20 hours a week or participating in specified employment training programs, including an E&T program described above.

Existing law establishes the Community College Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) to encourage local community colleges to establish and implement programs directed to identifying those students affected by language, social, and economic handicaps, and to assist those students to achieve their educational objectives and goals, including, but not limited to, obtaining job skills, occupational certificates, or associate degrees, and transferring to 4-year institutions.

This bill would require county welfare departments, in determining the eligibility and benefit level of a student subject to the student work requirement described above, to screen for all potential exemptions to that rule. The bill would also require that students who participate in the EOPS program be considered exempt from the student work requirement as specified, unless prohibited by federal law. By imposing new duties on county welfare departments, this bill would create 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.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

It is the intent of the Legislature to increase
2college graduation rates of low-income Californians and to reduce
3the incidence of economic hardship and hunger among low-income
4college students.

5

SEC. 2.  

Section 18901.11 is added to the Welfare and
6Institutions Code
, to read:

7

18901.11.  

(a) In determining the eligibility and benefit level
8of a student subject to the student work requirement described in
9subdivision (a) of Section 273.5 of Subpart C of Part 273 of Title
107 of the Code of Federal Regulations, county welfare departments
11shall screen for all potential exemptions to the requirement.

12(b) Students participating in the Community College Extended
13Opportunity Programs and Services established pursuant to Article
148 (commencing with Section 69640) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of
15Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code shall be considered
16exempt from the student work requirement pursuant to
17subparagraph (ii) of paragraph (11) of subdivision (b) of Section
18273.5 of, and paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 273.7 of,
P3    1 Subpart C of Part 273 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
2unless prohibited by federal law.

3

SEC. 3.  

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
4this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
5local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
6pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
74 of Title 2 of the Government Code.



O

    99