BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2057
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Date of Hearing: April 12, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Susan Bonilla, Chair
AB 2057
(Mark Stone) - As Amended April 4, 2016
SUBJECT: CalFresh: application information
SUMMARY: Requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) to
develop information on and provide expedited services for
CalFresh benefits for victims of domestic violence.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires DSS to develop CalFresh information on expedited
services, as specified, for victims of domestic violence.
2)Adds domestic violence shelters to the list of entities where
information regarding CalFresh expedited services is required
to be made available.
3)Requires each county human services agency to offer annual
training on CalFresh application procedures to domestic
violence shelter operators, to include eligibility criteria
and specific information regarding the eligibility of victims
of domestic violence.
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4)Requires each county human services agency to provide domestic
violence shelters with a supply of that portion of the
CalFresh application used to request expedited CalFresh
services, if requested by the shelter.
5)Requires that a victim of domestic violence who is currently a
part of a certified household that also contains the abuser,
and who is a resident of, or an individual on a waiting list
to get into, a shelter for battered women and children be
entitled to receive expedited CalFresh benefits as a separate
household, to the extent permitted by federal law,
regulations, waivers, and directives.
6)Exempts CalFresh recipients who are victims of domestic
violence from the CalFresh Employment and Training program.
EXISTING LAW:
1)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.)
2)Establishes the Electronic Benefits Transfer (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. (WIC 10065 et seq.)
3)Requires a county human services agency to screen all CalFresh
applications for entitlement to expedited services and to
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authorize immediate issuance of CalFresh benefits within a
certain amount of time, as specified. (WIC 18914)
4)Establishes within CalFresh the federal Employment and
Training (E&T) program to assist members of CalFresh
households in gaining skills, training, work, or experience
that will increase their ability to obtain regular employment.
(7 CFR 273.7, WIC 18926.5)
5)Defines in federal statute, approved activities under the E&T
program including education, as specified, participation in a
Workforce Investment Act program, and other activities.
(7 U.S.C. Sec. 2015(e)(3)(B))
6)Establishes the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) program, which permits states to implement the
program under a state plan. (42 USC § 601 et seq.)
7)Establishes in state law the CalWORKs program to provide cash
assistance and other social services for low-income families
through the TANF program. Under CalWORKs, each county
provides assistance through a combination of state, county and
federal TANF funds. (WIC 10530)
8)Requires a county welfare department at the time of
application to determine whether the applicant needs immediate
assistance because the applicant does not have sufficient
resources to meet his or her emergency needs, as specified.
(WIC 11266 et seq.)
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown.
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COMMENTS:
CalFresh: CalFresh benefits are funded entirely by the federal
government through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP), and the United States Department of Agriculture (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 typically 200% of the Federal Poverty
Level (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.
According to DSS, certain households may qualify for expedited
services (ES) for CalFresh benefits. These households
experience the same application process as all other clients,
but not all information has to be verified before benefits are
issued. Households may qualify for ES if the household meets
the following criteria:
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1) Has less than $150 in monthly gross income and liquid
resources of $100 or less; or
2) Contains migrant or seasonal farm workers who are
destitute; or
3) Has a combined monthly gross income and liquid resources
which are less than the household monthly rent or mortgage
and utilities.
CalFresh Employment and Training Program (E&T): The CalFresh
Employment and Training (E&T) Program is California's employment
and training program for Non-assistance CalFresh applicants and
recipients. Non-assistance recipients are those who receive
CalFresh benefits each month but do not receive a monthly cash
grant under the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility
to Kids (CalWORKs) Program.
CalFresh E&T was developed in order to comply with federal
legislation which requires states to established employment and
training programs for persons receiving SNAP benefits.
Participants can be assigned to a variety of activities, which
include job club, job search, workfare, and basic education,
among others. For the 2016-2017 fiscal year, the DSS estimates
a caseload of 1,989,447 for Non-assistance CalFresh households.
Need for this bill: According to the author, "Escaping an
abusive relationship is not only difficult but can also be
dangerous for domestic violence victims. When individuals leave
a domestic violence situation, it can be the most dangerous time
in the relationship. It is important that victims are able to
focus on their safety and the safety of anyone else they may be
taking out of the household. At such a stressful and dangerous
time in their lives, victims should not have to worry about how
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they will be able to eat and access their CalFresh benefits. If
victims are on the same CalFresh card as their partners, they
may worry their partners will track their movements through
shared CalFresh accounts. To protect victims' safety,
California must quickly process new CalFresh accounts for
victims so they will be better protected from their partners and
be able to access their benefits without worry."
According to the bill's sponsor, the Western Center on Law and
Poverty, "many people experiencing abuse find they have limited
or no say in their own finances. Fear regarding financial
stability often determines whether they return to a person who
has abused them. Concern about continued access to benefits,
such as CalFresh, adds to anxieties regarding how they and their
children will survive?[This bill] will ease one major barrier
for people leaving an abusive situation by improving access to
anti-hunger benefits."
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
Asian Women's Shelter
California Food Polity Advocates (CFPA)
California Immigrant Policy Center
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Center for Domestic Peace
CORA
Feeding America San Diego
Filipina Women's Network (FWN)
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano
Healthy Communities, Inc.
Hunger Action Los Angeles
Jenesse Center, Inc.
Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles
Legal Aid Society - Employment Law Center
Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence
Orange County Food Access Coalition (OCFAC)
Positive Women's Network - USA
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Project MANA
Western Center on Law & Poverty - sponsor
Women's Foundation of California - co-sponsor
Women's Transition Living Center
YWCA Glendale
5 individuals
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by:Kelsy Castillo / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089
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