Senate Bill No. 999

Introduced by Senator Liu

February 13, 2014

An act to amend Section 18926.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to social services.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 999, as introduced, Liu. CalFresh Employment and Training Program.

Existing law authorizes counties to participate in the CalFresh Employment and Training Program (CalFresh E&T), established by federal law with the purpose of assisting members of CalFresh households in gaining skills, training, work, or experience that will increase their ability to obtain regular employment. Existing law requires participating counties to screen CalFresh work registrants to determine whether the registrants will participate in, or be deferred from, the CalFresh E&T program.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.

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

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

SECTION 1.  

Section 18926.5 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code is amended to read:

18926.5.  

(a) For the purposes of this chapter, “CalFresh
Employment and Training program” or “CalFresh E&T” means
the program established under Section 6(d)(4)(B) of the federal
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. Sec. 2015), Section
273.7 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and associated
administrative notices published by the United States Department
of Agriculture with the purpose of assisting members of CalFresh
households in gaining skills, training, work, or experience that will
increase their ability to obtain regular employment.

(b) (1) A county that elects to participate in the CalFresh
Employment and Training (CalFresh E&T) program, as authorized
by the federal Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. Sec. 2015),
shall screen CalFresh work registrants to determine whether they
will participate in, or be deferred from, the CalFresh E&T program.
If deferred, a CalFresh work registrant may request to enroll in the
CalFresh E&T program as a voluntary participant. An individual
shall be deferred from a mandatory placement in the CalFresh
E&T program if he or she satisfies any of the criteria in Sections
273.7 and 273.24 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations, if
he or she resides in a federally determined work surplus area, or
if he or she is a veteran who has been honorably discharged from
the United States Armed Forces.

(2) For purposes of this section, “deferred” has the same
meaning as exempt.

(c) (1) A county that elects to participate in the CalFresh E&T
program shall be required to demonstrate in its CalFresh E&T plan
how it is effectively using CalFresh E&T funds for each of the
components that the county offers, including, but not limited to,
any of the following:

(A) Self-initiated workfare.

(B) Work experience or training.

(C) Education.

(D) Job search.

(E) The support services or client reimbursements needed to
participate in subparagraphs (A) to (D), inclusive, as allowed by
federal law and guidance.

(2)  begin delete Nothing in this end delete begin insert This end insert section shall begin insert not end insert be construed to require
a county to offer a particular component as a part of its CalFresh
E&T plan.

(d)  begin delete Nothing in this section shall end delete begin insert This section does not end insert limit a
county’s ability to condition the receipt of nonmedical benefits
under Section 17000 on an individual’s participation in an
employment and training or workfare program of the county’s
choice, even if that program is financed in whole or in part with
CalFresh E&T funds or match funds.

(e)  begin delete Nothing in this section shall end delete begin insert This section does not end insert restrict
the use of federal funds for the financing of CalFresh E&T
programs.

(f)  begin delete Nothing in this end delete begin insert This end insert section shall begin insert not end insert be construed to require
a county to provide for workers’ compensation coverage for a
CalFresh E&T participant. Notwithstanding Division 4
(commencing with Section 3200) of the Labor Code, a CalFresh
E&T participant shall not be an employee for the purposes of
workers’ compensation coverage and a county shall have no duty
to provide workers’ compensation coverage for a CalFresh E&T
participant.

(g) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the
Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with
Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government
Code), the department may implement this section by all-county
letters or similar instructions. Thereafter, the department shall
adopt regulations to implement this section by October 1, 2013.