BILL NUMBER: AB 2115	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Bradford

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2014

   An act to amend Section 18911 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to CalFresh.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2115, as introduced, Bradford. CalFresh: school meals.
   Existing law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh, under
which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the
state by the federal government are distributed to eligible
individuals by each county. Existing federal law requires that a
child receiving benefits under SNAP be certified as eligible for free
lunches and free breakfasts without further application. Existing
law requires a county welfare department to compile a list of
emergency food providers and make that list available upon request.
   This bill would additionally require a county welfare department
to compile a list of child feeding and summer feeding programs. The
bill would also require a county human services agency to provide an
applicant household that has children with information about how to
enroll the children in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast
Programs while the CalFresh application is pending and to inform the
household that if the household is certified for CalFresh, all
children in the household are directly certified for the National
School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs without further
application.
   By increasing the duties of county welfare departments, the 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.
   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.  Section 18911 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
   18911.  (a) An application and an authorization for participation
in CalFresh shall be processed within a period of not more than 30
days from the date of application.
   (b) The department shall develop written information that
describes the eligibility and verification requirements for expedited
service, the process for applying for those benefits, and the
availability of assistance in filling out the forms and gathering
needed documentation.
   (c)  Each   A  county welfare department
shall make the material developed pursuant to subdivision (b)
available to  each   an  applicant at the
time the applicant initially seeks CalFresh benefits.
   (d)  Each   A  county welfare department
shall, upon request, make available the information developed
pursuant to subdivision (b) to community action agencies, legal
services offices, emergency food programs, and other programs.
   (e)  Each   A  county  welfare
department   human service agency  shall compile a
list of emergency food providers  , including local child feeding
and summer feeding programs,  in the area served by the local
CalFresh office. The list shall be updated, based on information from
the food providers  , cities, and school districts  . The
list shall be made available  upon request, and, where
needed, may be used to refer individuals to emergency food sites that
may be able to provide assistance.  to households
applying for CalFresh. A county welfare department shall provide an
applicant household that has children with information about how to
enroll   the children in the National School Lunch and
School Breakfast Programs while the CalFresh application is pending
and shall inform the household that if the household is certified for
CalFresh, all children in the household are directly certified for
the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs without
further application. 
   (f)  Each   A  county welfare department
shall make available to CalFresh applicants, upon request,
nonpromotional information that contains addresses and phone numbers
of local legal services and welfare rights organizations.
  SEC. 2.  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.