AB 492, as amended, Gonzalez. CalWORKs: welfare-to-work: supportive services.
Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals. Existing law generally requires a recipient of CalWORKs benefits to participate in welfare-to-work activities as a condition of eligibility for aid. Existing law requires that necessary supportive services be available to participants in welfare-to-work activities, including child care.
This bill would providebegin delete thatend deletebegin insert that, commencing October 1, 2020,end insert necessary supportive services also include a diaper benefit in the amount of $50 per
month for diapers for every child 2 years of age or younger enrolled in child care pursuant to the above-mentioned provisions. The bill would require that the diaper benefit be issued to participants throughbegin delete the electronic
benefits transfer system, and would direct the department to make the benefit available at the earliest time possible.end deletebegin insert an electronic benefits transfer system.end insert The bill would specify that the diaper benefit is not income for purposes of determining CalWORKs eligibility or benefits, and that it may be used by a participant only to purchase diapers. By increasing the duties of counties administering these services, 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 11323.2 of the Welfare and Institutions
2Code is amended to read:
(a) Necessary supportive services shall be available
4to every participant in order to participate in the program activity
5to which he or she is assigned or to accept employment or the
6participant shall have good cause for not participating under
7subdivision (f) of Section 11320.3. As provided in the
8welfare-to-work plan entered into between the county and
9participant pursuant to this article, supportive services shall include
10all of the following:
11(1) Child care.
12(A) Paid child care shall be available to every participant with
13a dependent child in the assistance unit who needs paid child care
14if the child is 10 years of
age or under, or requires child care or
15supervision due to a physical, mental, or developmental disability
16or other similar condition as verified by the county welfare
17department, or who is under court supervision.
P3 1(B) To the extent funds are available, paid child care shall be
2available to a participant with a dependent child in the assistance
3unit who needs paid child care if the child is 11 or 12 years of age.
4(C) Necessary child care services shall be available to every
5former recipient for up to two years, pursuant to Article 15.5
6(commencing with Section 8350) of Chapter 2 of Part 6 of Division
71 of Title 1 of the Education Code.
8(D) A child in foster care receiving benefits under Title IV-E
9
of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 670 et seq.) or
10a child who would become a dependent child except for the receipt
11of federal Supplemental Security Income benefits pursuant to Title
12XVI of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 1381 et
13seq.) shall be deemed to be a dependent child for the purposes of
14this paragraph.
15(E) The provision of care and payment rates under this paragraph
16shall be governed by Article 15.5 (commencing with Section 8350)
17of Chapter 2 of Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education
18Code. Parent fees shall be governed by subdivisions (g) and (h)
19of Section 8263 of the Education Code.
20(2) begin deleteA
end delete
21amount of fifty dollars ($50) per month for diapers for every child
22two years of age or younger enrolled in child care pursuant to
23paragraph (1). The diaper benefit may be used by the participant
24only to purchase diapers.
25(A) begin deleteThe end deletebegin insertOn and after October 1, 2020, the end insertdiaper benefit shall
26be issued to participants throughbegin delete theend deletebegin insert anend insert electronic benefits transfer
27
begin delete system established pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section begin insert
system.end insert
2810072) of Chapter 3 of Part 1.end delete
29(B) The diaper benefit shall not be considered income for
30purposes of determining eligibility or benefits under this chapter.
31(3) Transportation costs, which shall be governed by regional
32market rates as determined in accordance with regulations
33established by the department.
34(4) Ancillary expenses, which shall include the cost of books,
35tools, clothing specifically required for the job, fees, and other
36necessary costs.
37(5) Personal counseling. A participant who has personal or
38family problems that would affect the outcome of the
39welfare-to-work plan entered into pursuant to this article shall, to
40the
extent available, receive necessary counseling or therapy to
P4 1help him or her and his or her family adjust to his or her job or
2training assignment.
3(b) If provided in a county plan, the county may continue to
4provide case management and supportive services under this
5section to former participants who become employed. The county
6may provide these services for up to the first 12 months of
7employment to the extent they are not available from other sources
8and are needed for the individual to retain the employment.
Section 11323.22 is added to the Welfare and
10Institutions Code, to read:
begin deleteIn order for the diaper benefit provided by paragraph The benefitbegin insert described in end insertbegin insertparagraph (2) of
12(2) of subdivision (a) of Section 11323.2 to be available to support
13low-income working parents and their children as soon as possible,
14the department shall facilitate the orderly administration of state
15government to make the diaper benefit available at the earliest
16possible time. end delete
17subdivision (a) of Section 11323.2end insert may be implemented through
18a contract or
subcontract, including extensions of that contract or
19subcontract, that results from a request for proposal or bid that
20occurred prior to the effective date of the act that adds this section,
21but not if implementation would violate the specific terms of the
22contract or the Agreement on Government Procurement of the
23World Trade Organization.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
25this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
26local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
27pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
284 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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