BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1747
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB
1747 (Weber)
As Amended May 31, 2016
Majority vote
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|Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Human Services |5-1 |Bonilla, Calderon, |Maienschein |
| | |Lopez, Mark Stone, | |
| | |Thurmond | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Higher |11-0 |Medina, Bloom, | |
|Education | |Chávez, Irwin, | |
| | |Jones-Sawyer, Levine, | |
| | |Linder, Low, | |
| | |Santiago, Weber, | |
| | |Williams | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Appropriations |14-5 |Gonzalez, Bloom, |Bigelow, Chang, |
| | |Bonilla, Bonta, |Jones, Obernolte, |
| | |Calderon, Daly, |Wagner |
| | |Eggman, Eduardo | |
| | |Garcia, Roger | |
| | |Hernández, Holden, | |
| | |Quirk, Santiago, | |
AB 1747
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| | |Weber, Wood | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY: Requires and authorizes private and public
postsecondary educational institutions to take a number of steps
to facilitate student access to nutrition programs.
Specifically, this bill:
1)States Legislative intent to increase the college graduation
rates of low-income Californians and to reduce the incidence
of economic hardship and hunger among low-income college
students.
2)Requires a public or private postsecondary education
institution located in a county that participates in the
Restaurant Meals Program to increase access to and provide
information about the Restaurant Meals Program on campus, as
specified.
3)Specifies that a public or private postsecondary education
institution is not required to create, operate, or maintain an
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system on behalf of
on-campus food vendors pursuant to provisions of this bill.
4)Allows public postsecondary educational institutions that are
successful in raising money for CalFresh outreach activities
to receive matching funds from the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA), as specified.
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5)Creates the Public Higher Education Pantry Assistance Program
Account in the Emergency Food Assistance Program, as
specified.
6)Allocates funds in the Public Higher Education Pantry
Assistance account, as specified, to food banks if:
a) The primary function of the food bank is the
distribution of food to low-income households; and
b) The food bank has identified specific costs associated
with supporting on-campus pantry and hunger relief efforts
serving low-income students.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Establishes the EBT Act, and defines the EBT system as the
program designed to provide benefits to those eligible to
receive public assistance benefits such as CalWORKs and
CalFresh. (Welfare and Institutions Code Section (WIC) 10065
et seq.)
2)Establishes under federal law the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) pursuant to the Food Stamp Act of
1964 and establishes, in California statute, the CalFresh
program to administer the provision of federal SNAP benefits
to families and individuals meeting certain criteria, as
specified. (WIC 18900 et seq.)
3)Establishes the Restaurant Meals Program under the SNAP
program to allow eligible homeless, disabled or elderly
recipients to purchase hot, prepared food from participating
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restaurants. (7 United States Code Section 2020)
4)Establishes the Emergency Food Assistance Program within the
State Treasury and authorizes the Controller to transfer from
the Personal Income Tax Fund to the Emergency Food Assistance
Program Fund not in excess of the sum of the amounts
designated by individuals as specified. (Revenue and Taxation
Code Section (RTC) 18852)
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, this bill may result in minor and absorbable costs
associated with applying to become an approved vendor for the
Restaurant Meals Program.
COMMENTS:
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT): EBT is an electronic system
that automates the delivery, redemption, and reconciliation of
issued public assistance benefits such as CalWORKs. EBT is also
the method for distributing Cal Fresh benefits (formerly known
as Food Stamps and currently known federally as Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)). EBT is currently used in
all 50 states. In California, CalWORKs and CalFresh recipients
access their benefits via what has been named the Golden State
Advantage EBT card. Like a bank-issued automated teller machine
(ATM) card, the cardholder slides this card through a
point-of-sale (POS) device, or uses the card at an ATM.
CalFresh: CalFresh benefits are funded entirely by the federal
government through the SNAP, and the USDA sets specific
eligibility requirements for SNAP programs across the United
States, including a gross and net income test, work
requirements, and other documentation requirements. The maximum
allowable gross income is 200% of the Federal Poverty Level
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(FPL). Households with elderly or disabled members are not
subject to gross income criteria but must have a net monthly
income at or below 100% of the FPL. Other households must meet
both gross and net monthly income tests. CalFresh is
administered locally by county human services agencies, and the
federal, state, and county governments share in the cost of
administration of the program.
Benefits are made available on a monthly basis for food purchase
through an ATM-like electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card.
However, unlike other types of benefits that may be accessed
through an EBT card, CalFresh benefits cannot be withdrawn in
cash at point-of-sale terminals or at ATM machines. CalFresh
benefits can only be used to purchase food items to be prepared
and consumed at home, as well as seeds and plants that can be
grown at home and produce food. The average monthly benefit for
a CalFresh recipient is $144.35 per month, or $4.81 per person
per day.
Restaurant Meal Program: Under SNAP rules, recipients are
limited to purchasing only non-prepared food items; however
people who are homeless, elderly, or who have disabilities are
less able to use SNAP food benefits in traditional ways due to
the lack of necessary tools, appliances or physical abilities
required to prepare their own meals. As a result of this, SNAP
allows states to choose whether or not to offer a Restaurant
Meal Program option, which allows SNAP recipients to purchase
hot prepared food in authorized restaurants. California
operates the largest Restaurant Meal Program and has allowed
counties to utilize Restaurant Meal Programs as an option since
2003.
Food insecurity: Student hunger contributes to lower
participation rates among low income students, and as such,
students who are unable to meet their basic needs are less
likely to perform as well in college or may be forced to drop
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out before graduating. According to a recent Washington Post
article, the number of food banks opening on university and
college campuses around the country is on the rise. A recent
study conducted by the California State University system found
that as much as 24% of the student population is food insecure,
though exact numbers are unknown.
Need for this bill: According to the author, "Students from
working class families and impoverished homes are some of best
and brightest in the United States. For these young people,
going to college may offer their only avenue to exit poverty.
However, an increasing number of students face homelessness and
food insecurity that, ultimately, hinders their success in
college while increasing the likelihood of an incomplete
post-secondary education. With everything that California has
invested in higher education, students continue to face higher
costs to attend California's colleges and universities. [This
bill] will help curb additional hardship while increasing a
student's ability to complete college. [This bill] is a first
step towards alleviating student food insecurity by enacting
several proposals that surfaced at the Assembly Select Committee
on Campus Climate hearing in November 2015. At this hearing,
the select committee heard about many issues related to student
food insecurity and student homelessness from colleges and
universities in San Diego County. It also became evident that
every college and university handles these issues differently.
[This bill] was conceived to help colleges and universities
address these issues."
PRIOR LEGISLATION:
AB 832 (Weber), of 2013, would have required all convenience
stores and bookstores at the California State University, the
University of California, and community colleges to accept the
use of EBT cards. It died in the Assembly Human Services
Committee.
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AB 756 (Mitchell), of 2011, would have prohibited surcharges on
ATM withdrawals and POS transactions for CalWORKs recipients
when they use their state-issued EBT card. It died in the
Assembly Human Services Committee.
Analysis Prepared by:
Kelsy Castillo / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089 FN:
0003317