BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular Session AB 2057 (Mark Stone) - CalFresh: victims of domestic violence ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Version: May 27, 2016 |Policy Vote: HUMAN S. 4 - 0 | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Urgency: No |Mandate: Yes | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Hearing Date: August 1, 2016 |Consultant: Debra Cooper | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File. Bill Summary: AB 2057 would authorize a CalFresh recipient who is resident of, or an individual on a waiting list to get into, a shelter for battered women and children to be entitled to expedited CalFresh services and exempt them from mandatory employment and training requirements. This bill would also add domestic violence shelters to list the of locations where the Department of Social Services (DSS) is required to distribute CalFresh materials. Fiscal Impact: Potentially significant increase in CalFresh benefits and state-reimbursable administration costs. (Federal/GF) Unknown, but likely significant administrative costs to DSS to develop materials and provide information on CalFresh expedited services to domestic violence shelters. (Federal/GF) AB 2057 (Mark Stone) Page 1 of ? Approximately $100,000 to DSS for IT modifications to accommodate new eligibility criteria. (Federal/GF) Unknown, but potentially significant reimbursable mandate costs to counties to provide information and annual training to domestic violence shelter operators on CalFresh application procedures and services. Background: California provides nutritional benefits to approximately 4.4 million people through the CalFresh program. CalFresh benefits are funded entirely by the federal government through the USDA's SNAP program, which provides food benefits to eligible households nationwide. The maximum gross income allowed to be eligible is 130% of the federal poverty level. The average monthly benefit for a CalFresh recipient in 2014 was $141.99 per month, or $4.73 per day, according to the USDA. According to the California Office of Emergency Services, 20,438 domestic violence survivors and children sought emergency shelter in 2014. According to the author, "escaping an abusive relationship is not only difficult but can also be dangerous for domestic violence victims? At such a stressful and dangerous time in their lives, victims should not have to worry about how 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." Currently, CalFresh recipients and applicants can obtain expedited service if the household has less than $150 in monthly gross income and $100 or less in liquid resources, has migrant or seasonal farm workers who are destitute, or the combined monthly gross income and liquid resources are less than the household monthly rent or mortgage and utilities. Expedited CalFresh benefits are made available no later than the third calendar day following the date the application was filed. AB 2057 (Mark Stone) Page 2 of ? Federal law requires that California must have an Employment and Training (E&T) Program to assist recipients of CalFresh benefits in gaining skills, training, work, and experience that increases their ability to obtain regular employment. Counties have the discretion about whether to offer the program to non-assisted CalFresh clients. The federal government provides for a waiver from this work requirement under certain specified conditions. California was recently granted an extension of its current waiver and that waiver is set to expire on December 31, 2017. If California's statewide waiver application is denied in part or in whole for 2018 and future years, mandatory participation in CalFresh E&T for populations that are not otherwise exempt would apply. Proposed Law: This bill would: Require DSS to develop CalFresh information on expedited services, as specified, for victims of domestic violence. Add domestic violence shelters to the list of locations where information regarding CalFresh expedited service is required to be distributed. Require 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. Require each human services agency to provide domestic violence shelters with a supply of CalFresh applications used to request expedited CalFresh services, if requested by the shelter. Require 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. Exempt CalFresh recipients who are victims of domestic violence from the CalFresh Employment and Training Program. AB 2057 (Mark Stone) Page 3 of ? Related Legislation: SB 134 (Hueso, Chapter 283, Statutes of 2013) requires participating counties to exempt from the CalFresh E&T program, a veteran who has been honorably discharged from the United Stated Armed Forces. Staff Comments: The CalFresh E&T exemption would only impact domestic violence victims who do not have a dependent. Under SNAP, able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) are eligible for benefits for only three months within a 36-month period unless they participate in an E&T program. Existing law requires DSS to seek a statewide waiver from the ABAWD work requirement. This statewide waiver has been sought and granted every year since 2008. In the event that California is not approved for the waiver after the current waiver expires, work requirements will apply to the ABAWD population, including victims of domestic violence who do not have a dependent. -- END --