BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2057
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
2057 (Mark Stone)
As Amended August 19, 2016
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: |80-0 |(June 1, 2016) |SENATE: | 39-0 |(August 23, |
| | | | | |2016) |
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Original Committee Reference: HUM. S.
SUMMARY: Requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) to
develop information on and provide expedited services for
CalFresh benefits for victims of domestic violence.
The Senate amendments delete the requirement that each county
human services agency offer annual training on CalFresh
application procedures to domestic violence shelter operators
and that the training include specific information regarding the
eligibility of victims of domestic violence
EXISTING LAW:
1)Establishes under federal law the Supplemental Nutrition
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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. (Welfare and Institutions Code Section (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 California Work Opportunity and
Responsibility to Kids (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
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 Code of Federal Regulations 273.7, WIC 18926.5)
5)Establishes the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) program, which permits states to implement the
program under a state plan. (42 United States Code Section
601 et seq.)
6)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.)
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FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations Committee
on May 27, 2016, this bill may result in the following costs:
1)Potentially significant increase in CalFresh benefits and
state-reimbursable administration costs. (Federal/General
Fund)
2)Unknown, but likely significant administrative costs to DSS to
develop materials and provide information on CalFresh
expedited services to domestic violence shelters.
(Federal/General Fund)
3)Approximately $100,000 to DSS for information technology (IT)
modifications to accommodate new eligibility criteria.
(Federal/General Fund)
COMMENTS:
CalFresh: CalFresh benefits are funded entirely by the federal
government through 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 (automated teller machine)-like EBT card.
However, unlike other types of benefits that may be accessed
through an EBT card, CalFresh benefits cannot be withdrawn in
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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 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.
CalFresh Employment and Training Program (E&T): The 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 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, 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
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
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victims so they will be better protected from their partners and
be able to access their benefits without worry."
Analysis Prepared by:
Kelsy Castillo / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089 FN:
0004726