BILL NUMBER: AB 2115	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 8, 2014
	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 human services
agency to compile a list of  child feeding and summer feeding
programs.   emergency and supplemental food assistance
providers, as specified.  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 California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women,
Infants, and Children (WIC Program) and  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,  specified children in the household are
income-eligible for the WIC Program and  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 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 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 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 services agency shall compile a list of
emergency  and supplemental  food  assistance 
providers, including local  child feeding and summer feeding
programs,   nutrition assistance programs authorized by
Chapter II   (commencing with Section 210.1) of Subtitle B
of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations,  in the area
served by the local CalFresh office. The list shall be updated, based
on information  the county receives  from  the
  emergency and supplemental  food  assistance
 providers, cities,  and  school districts 
, summer lunch providers, the California Department of Education,
and California Special Supplemental     Nutrition
Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC Program)  . The
list shall be made available to households applying for CalFresh. A
county human services agency shall provide an applicant household
that has children with information about how to enroll the children
in the  WIC Program and 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, children under five years of age in the household are
income-eligible for the WIC Program, pursuant to Section 246.7 of
Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and  all children in
the household are directly certified for the National School Lunch
and School Breakfast Programs without further application  ,
pursuant to Section 245.6 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal
Regulations  .
   (f) A county 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.