BILL NUMBER: SB 312	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 23, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Pan

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2015

   An act to amend Section 11052.5 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to public social services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 312, as amended, Pan. Public assistance: personal interviews.
   Existing law provides for protection, care, and assistance for
people of the state by providing appropriate aid and services to the
needy and distressed. Programs established for this purpose include
the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids program
(CalWORKs), which provides cash assistance and other social services
to needy families, using federal Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) block grant program, state, and county funds.
Existing law prohibits an applicant from being granted public
assistance under CalWORKs until he or she is personally interviewed
by the county  welfare department   human
services agency  or state hospital staff.
   This bill would authorize the county  welfare department
  human services agency or state hospital staff  to
conduct this personal interview telephonically or through electronic
 means if the county welfare department determines that a
personal interview by telephone or electronic means would be more
efficient.   means. The bill would require a
face-to-face interview to be conducted if requested by an applicant
or recipient. By imposing a higher level of service on county human
services agencies administering the CalWORKs program, this bill would
impose a state-mandated local program.  The bill would
authorize the State Department of Social Services to implement the
bill by means of all-county letters or similar instructions. The bill
would also delete an obsolete cross-reference. 
   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.  
   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. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program:  no   yes  .


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the
County Option of Efficient Interviewing of CalWORKs Applicants Act of
2015.
  SEC. 2.  Section 11052.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
   11052.5.  (a) An applicant shall not be granted public assistance
under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) until he or she is
first personally interviewed by the office of the county 
welfare department   human services agency  or
state staff for patients in state hospitals. The personal interview
shall be conducted promptly following the application for 
assistance. The county welfare department   assistance
and  may  conduct the personal interview  
be conducted  by telephone or through electronic  means
if the county welfare department determines that a personal interview
by telephone or electronic means will be more efficient. 
 means.  If an applicant is incapable of acting in his or
her own behalf, the county  welfare department  
human services agency  shall verify this fact by personal
contact with the applicant before aid is authorized. As used in this
section, the term public assistance does not include health care as
provided by Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 14000).
   (b) The interview conducted pursuant to this section shall occur
within seven days after the time of application unless there are
extenuating circumstances that justify further delay. 
   (c) A face-to-face interview shall be conducted if requested by an
applicant or recipient. 
  SEC. 3.  Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the
Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section
11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code),
the State Department of Social Services may implement this act
through an all-county letter or similar instruction from the
director. The all-county letter or similar instruction shall be
issued no later than April 1, 2016.
   SEC. 4.    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.