BILL NUMBER: AB 1930 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 6, 2014
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 21, 2014
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 amended, 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 human services agencies 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 using a specified protocol. The
bill would require that students who participate in the EOPS program
be considered exempt from the student work requirement as specified,
unless prohibited by federal law. The bill would also require the
State Department of Social Services, in consultation with
others representatives from ot her
specified organizations , to establish a protocol to screen for
all potential exemptions to the rule and to identify and verify
participation in the EOPS program or ,
criteria for self-initiated placement, and other educational
programs that would exempt a student from the student work
requirement. 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:
SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature to increase college
graduation rates of low-income Californians and to reduce the
incidence of economic hardship and hunger among low-income college
students.
SEC. 2. Section 18901.11 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:
18901.11. (a) In determining the eligibility and benefit level of
a student subject to the student work requirement described in
subdivision (a) of Section 273.5 of Subpart C of Part 273 of Title 7
of the Code of Federal Regulations, county human services agencies
shall screen for all potential exemptions to the requirement using
the protocol established in subdivision (c).
(b) Students participating in the Community College Extended
Opportunity Programs and Services established pursuant to Article 8
(commencing with Section 69640) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of Division 5
of Title 3 of the Education Code shall be considered exempt from the
student work requirement pursuant to subparagraph (ii) of
paragraph (11) of subdivision (b) of Section 273.5 of, and
paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 273.7 of, Subpart C of
Part 273 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations, unless
prohibited by federal law.
(c) The department shall, in consultation with
representatives of the office of the Chancellor of the
California Community Colleges, offices of the Chancellor of the
California State University, University of California Chancellors'
offices, the California Workforce Investment Board,
county human services agencies, and advocates for students and
clients, establish a protocol to screen for all potential exemptions
to the requirement described in subdivision (a) of Section 273.5 of
Subpart C of Part 273 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
and to identify and verify participation in the Community College
Extended Opportunity Programs and Services or
, criteria for self-initiated placement, and other educational
programs that would exempt a student from the student work
requirement.
(d) This section shall not require a county human services agency
to offer a particular component, support services, or worker's
compensation to a student found eligible for an exemption pursuant to
subdivision (a).
(e) This section shall not restrict or require the use of federal
funds for the financing of CalFresh E&T programs.
SEC. 3. 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.