AB 376, as introduced, Lopez. CalWORKs eligibility: immunizations.
Existing law requires each county to provide cash assistance and other social services to needy families through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program using federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families block grant program, state, and county funds. Under existing law, all applicants for or recipients of CalWORKs are required to provide documentation that each child in the assistance unit who is not required to be enrolled in school has received all age appropriate immunizations, unless it has been medically determined that an immunization for the child is not appropriate or the applicant or recipient has filed with the county welfare department an affidavit that the immunizations are contrary to the applicant’s or recipient’s beliefs.
This bill would instead require the applicant or recipient to provide immunization records only if the county obtains a report from the California Immunization Registry but is unable to verify that the immunizations have been performed. By requiring counties to obtain these reports, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program.
This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill.
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 11265.8 of the Welfare and Institutions
2Code is amended to read:
(a) All applicants forbegin insert, and recipients of,end insert aid under
4this chapterbegin delete, within 30 days of the determination of eligibility for begin insert shall ensureend insert that all children in
the
5Medi-Cal benefits under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section
614000), and 45 days for applicants already eligible for benefits
7under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000), and all
8recipients of aid under this chapter within 45 days of a full or
9financial redetermination of eligibility for aid under this chapter,
10shall provide documentationend delete
11assistance unit not required to be enrolled in school have received
12all age appropriate immunizations, unless it has been medically
13determined that an immunization for a child is not appropriate or
14the applicant or recipient has filed with the county welfare
15department an affidavit that the immunizations are contrary to the
16applicant’s or recipient’s beliefs.begin insert If an affidavit has not been filed
17with the county welfare department, the county shall verify that
18the immunizations have been performed by obtaining a report from
19the California Immunization Registry established pursuant to
20Section 120440 of the Health and Safety Code. If the registry does
21not contain records of these immunizations, the county shall require
22the applicant or recipient to provide documentation that the
23immunizations have been performed, or are not medically
24appropriate, within 30 days of the determination of eligibility for
25Medi-Cal benefits under
Chapter 7 (commencing with Section
2614000), or 45 days for applicants already eligible for benefits
P3 1under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000), or within 45
2days of a full or financial redetermination of eligibility for aid
3under this chapter.end insert If the county determines that good cause exists
4for not providing the required documentation due to lack of
5reasonable access to immunization services, the period shall be
6extended by an additional 30 days. If the documentation is not
7provided within the required time period, the needs of all parents
8or caretaker relatives in the assistance unit shall not be considered
9in determining the grant to the assistance unit under Section 11450
10until the required documentation is provided. The department shall
11track and maintain information concerning the number of sanctions
12imposed under this section.
13(b) At the time of application and at the next redetermination
14of eligibility for
aid under this chapter, all applicants and recipients
15shall be given notice advising them of their obligation to secure
16the immunizations required in subdivision (a). The notice shall
17also contain all of the following:
18(1) The Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule,
19United States, and the Recommended Immunization Schedule for
20Children Not Immunized on Schedule in the First Year of Life, as
21appropriate, approved by the Advisory Committee on Immunization
22Practices, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American
23Academy of Family Physicians.
24(2) A description of how to obtain the immunizations through
25a fee-for-service provider that accepts Medi-Cal, a Medi-Cal
26managed care plan, a county public health clinic, or any other
27source that may be available in the county as appropriate.
28(3) A statement that the
applicant or recipient may file an
29affidavit claiming that the immunizations are contrary to the
30applicant’s or recipient’s beliefs.
No appropriation pursuant to Section 15200 of the
32Welfare and Institutions Code shall be made for purposes of
33implementing this act.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
35this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
36local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
37pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
384 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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