Amended in Assembly March 16, 2016

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2057

Introduced by Assembly Member Mark Stone

February 17, 2016

An act to amend Section begin delete 18911 end delete begin insert 18904.1 end insert of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to CalFresh.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2057, as amended, Mark Stone. CalFresh: application information.

Existing law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to begin delete develop specified written information relating to application for CalFresh, and requires a county welfare department to make this information available to an applicant and, upon request, to emergency food programs, among other entities, as specified. end delete begin insert administer the CalFresh program, as specified. end insert Existing law also begin delete requires a county welfare department to compile a list of emergency food providers, and to make other information available to applicants, as specified. end delete begin insert requires the director to maintain methods for over-the-counter issuance that guarantee program accessibility in all cases when a household has been found to be in immediate need of food assistance or when a household has been determined to be eligible for the replacement of a previous issuance of CalFresh benefits. end insert

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This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes in these provisions.

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This bill would require the department and county officials to act pursuant to all federal authority to ensure that the replacement of a previous issuance of CalFresh benefits is made available as expeditiously as possible for all eligible recipients, as specified. The bill would also authorize, if a recipient is eligible for a replacement of a previous issuance, the benefit to be issued by the county human services agency in the county where the recipient currently resides or in the county where the recipient received a previous issuance. The bill would require, if a recipient is eligible for a replacement of a previous issuance because he or she is a victim of domestic violence, the replacement benefit to be issued in a manner that does not allow for any information about the replacement or its request to be accessible to the person whom the recipient is fleeing. By imposing a higher level of service on county employees, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

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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.

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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.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert . State-mandated local program:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert .

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

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begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

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begin insert Section 18904.1 of the end insert begin insert Welfare and Institutions
Code end insert begin insert is amended to read: end insert

18904.1.  

(a) The director, to the extent permitted by federal
law, shall establish methods for CalFresh benefit issuance in all
counties begin delete which end delete begin insert that end insert guarantee to low-income households the
health-vital nutritional benefits available under this chapter and to
achieve the most efficient system for program administration so
as to minimize administrative costs.

(b) The director shall maintain methods for over-the-counter
and mail issuance of CalFresh benefits in a county until issuance
of CalFresh benefits by electronic benefits transfer for all CalFresh
recipients in the county has been implemented pursuant to Chapter
3 (commencing with Section 10065) of Part 1.

(c)  begin delete Until issuance of CalFresh benefits by electronic benefits
transfer has been implemented in a county for all CalFresh
recipients, the director shall maintain, in the county, end delete begin insert County human
services agencies shall maintain end insert methods for over-the-counter
issuance that guarantee program accessibility in all cases begin delete where end delete
begin insert when end insert a household has been found to be in immediate need of food
assistance or begin delete where end delete begin insert when end insert a household has been determined to be
eligible for the replacement of a previous issuance.

begin insert

(d) The department and county officials shall act pursuant to
all federal authority to ensure that the replacement of a previous
issuance of CalFresh benefits is made available as expeditiously
as possible for all eligible recipients, using the methods established
pursuant to subdivision (c).

end insert begin insert

(e) (1) If a recipient is eligible for a replacement of a previous
issuance, the benefit may be issued by the county human services
agency in the county where the recipient currently resides or in
the county where the recipient received a previous issuance.

end insert begin insert

(2) If a recipient is eligible for a replacement of a previous
issuance because he or she is a victim of domestic violence, the
replacement benefit shall be issued in a manner that does not allow
any information about the replacement or its request to be
accessible to the person from whom the recipient is fleeing.

end insert

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begin insert SEC. 2. end insert   

end insert begin insert

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

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SECTION 1.  

Section 18911 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code is amended to read:

18911.  

(a) An application and an authorization for participation
in CalFresh shall be processed within a period of not more than
30 days from the date of application.

(b) The department shall develop written information that
describes the eligibility and verification requirements for expedited
service, the process for applying for those benefits, and the
availability of assistance in filling out the forms and gathering
needed documentation.

(c) A county welfare department shall make the material
developed pursuant to subdivision (b) available to an applicant at
the time the applicant initially seeks CalFresh benefits.

(d) A county welfare department shall, upon request, make
available the information developed pursuant to subdivision (b)
to community action agencies, legal services offices, emergency
food programs, and other programs.

(e) A county welfare department shall compile a list of
emergency food providers in the area served by the local CalFresh
office. The list shall be updated, based on information from the
food providers. The list shall be made available upon request, and,
where needed, may be used to refer individuals to emergency food
sites that may be able to provide assistance.

(f) A county welfare department shall make available to
CalFresh applicants, upon request, nonpromotional information
that contains addresses and phone numbers of local legal services
and welfare rights organizations.

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