BILL NUMBER: AB 2099 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Mark Stone
FEBRUARY 17, 2016
An act to add Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 18997) to Part 6
of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to
public social services.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2099, as introduced, Mark Stone. Safe drinking water assistance
program.
Existing law provides for financial and food assistance benefits
to needy Californians, including, among other programs, the
California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
program and CalFresh, under which each county provides for financial
and food assistance benefits to qualified individuals who meet
specified eligibility criteria. Existing law, administered by the
State Department of Social Services, provides for the establishment
of a statewide electronic benefits transfer (EBT) system for the
purpose of providing those financial and food assistance benefits.
Existing law authorizes a county to deliver CalFresh benefits and,
upon election by the county, CalWORKs benefits through the use of an
EBT system.
This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to
establish and administer a safe drinking water assistance program to
provide cash benefits to low-income households, as defined, with
inadequate access to safe drinking water so that they may obtain safe
drinking water. The bill would specify that eligible low-income
households include, but are not limited to, households in a
disadvantaged community, households eligible for interim emergency
drinking water benefits from the State Water Resources Control Board,
and households whose private wells have gone dry or become
contaminated, as specified. The bill would require that the program
be funded with existing resources and would require the department,
in consultation with other specified state agencies, to identify
existing resources for the program. The bill would require the
department to deliver the cash benefits through the EBT system. The
bill would also make relating findings and declarations.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares the following:
(a) The electronic benefits transfer (EBT) system is an electronic
system that has operated statewide in California since 2004 that
allows government benefits to be transferred directly to recipients,
similar to a bank debit card, to provide a way to spend benefits at
retailers.
(b) Research has shown that the use of EBT cards has many
advantages for delivering public benefits. For recipients, EBT offers
greater convenience, improved security, and reduced stigmatization.
For state governments, EBT provides cost and time savings, improves
operational efficiencies, and promotes accountability while
stimulating local economies.
(c) EBT has been deemed an effective and responsive mechanism for
quickly delivering assistance to people recovering from natural
disasters.
(d) The Legislature and the Governor established The Human Right
to Water in 2013, which established the policy of the state that
every human being has the right to safe, clean, affordable, and
accessible water adequate for human consumption, cooking, and
sanitary purposes.
(e) Despite a history of proactive water policies, California
residents still face formidable challenges as the drought continues
to exacerbate water quality issues for disadvantaged communities who
disproportionately bear the health and financial impacts of
inadequate access to safe water.
(f) Significant barriers to water access exist for marginalized
Californians who are forced to choose between drinking water and
expending scarce resources to pay for clean water.
(g) In 2014, more than 1 million Californians faced water safety
violations that made water unsafe to drink.
(h) As the drought enters its fifth year, more than 2,000 domestic
wells have gone dry in the Central Valley, affecting tens of
thousands of people. Many small communities face chronic water
quality problems. Almost 400 small rural water systems and schools
are unable to provide safe drinking water.
(i) In response to these challenges, the Governor and the
Legislature have established or proposed new emergency drinking water
supports to assist these households.
(j) Recognizing this, it is the intent of the Legislature to
utilize the existing EBT system to deliver appropriate emergency
water benefits to disadvantaged households in an efficient and
effective manner.
SEC. 2. Chapter 16 (commencing with Section 18997) is added to
Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:
CHAPTER 16. SAFE DRINKING WATER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
18997. The State Department of Social Services shall establish
and administer a safe drinking water assistance program to provide
cash benefits to low-income households with inadequate access to safe
drinking water so that they may obtain safe drinking water.
Low-income households eligible for program benefits include, but are
not limited to, all of the following:
(a) Households in disadvantaged communities, as defined in Section
79505.5 of the Water Code.
(b) Households eligible for interim emergency drinking water
benefits under the State Water Resources Control Board.
(c) Households whose private wells have gone dry or become
contaminated, as determined by the State Water Resources Control
Board.
18997.5. (a) To the extent allowable under federal law, the
department shall deliver the cash benefits provided pursuant to this
chapter through the electronic benefit transfer (EBT) system created
under Section 10072. The distribution of the cash benefits shall
comply with any federal laws and regulations governing electronic
benefits.
(b) The program shall comply with privacy and confidentiality
procedures consistent with all applicable state and federal law.
18998. The program shall be funded from existing resources. The
department shall, in consultation with the Office of Emergency
Services, the Department of Water Resources, the State Water
Resources Control Board, and other relevant agencies, identify
existing resources for the program.
18998.5. For the purpose of this chapter, "low-income household"
means a household with income that is equal to or no greater than 200
percent of the federal poverty guideline level. For a one-person
household, program eligibility shall be based on two-person household
guideline levels.