BILL NUMBER: AB 2115	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 1, 2014

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 amended, 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   human services agency  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,
  human services agencies,  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) A county  welfare department   human
services   agency  shall make the material developed
pursuant to subdivision (b) available to an applicant at the time the
applicant initially seeks CalFresh benefits.
   (d) A county  welfare department  human
services agency  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) A county human service   services 
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 to households applying for CalFresh.
A county  welfare department   human services
agency  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) A county  welfare department   human
services agency  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.