BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
AB 371 (Mullin) - CalWORKs Family Unity Act of 2015
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|Version: June 29, 2015 |Policy Vote: HUMAN S. 5 - 0 |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: Yes |
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|Hearing Date: August 27, 2015 |Consultant: Jolie Onodera |
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*********** ANALYSIS ADDENDUM - SUSPENSE FILE ***********
The following information is revised to reflect amendments
adopted by the committee on August 27, 2015
Bill
Summary: AB 371 would revise and expand eligibility for the CalWORKs
program, as follows:
Deletes the consideration of child deprivation as a factor
in determining eligibility, and enables eligibility without
regard to the employment status of a parent (current law
requires the principal earner to be unemployed or working
less than 100 hours per month) if the family meets all other
eligibility requirements.
Provides that the absence of a parent, as defined, is not
a condition of eligibility to receive CalWORKs benefits, and
expands the definition of "absent parent" to include parents
absent solely by reason of the performance of active duty in
the armed forces.
Reduces work requirements for pregnant women from 30 hours
to 20 hours per week during the welfare-to-work 24-month
clock, and aligns work requirements for two-parent AUs for
all families including two adults, as specified.
AB 371 (Mullin) Page 1 of
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Fiscal
Impact:
Ongoing major increase in CalWORKs grant, services, and
administrative costs of $15.7 million to $18.5 million
(General Fund) per year to the extent removing the child
deprivation rule results in additional eligible cases and
fewer cases discontinued from the CalWORKs program.
One-time costs potentially in excess of $150,000 (General
Fund) for automation changes required to effectuate the
eligibility changes imposed under this measure.
Unknown net increase/decrease in CalWORKs program costs
(General Fund) resulting from the changes to hourly work
requirements for AUs with two adults, which could result in
increased employment services costs, offset to some degree by
grant cost savings resulting from increased earnings or higher
rates of sanction.
Committee
Amendments: Revise the implementation date to July 1, 2016, and
make other technical changes.
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