SB 904, as introduced, Hertzberg. Public social services: CalFresh.
Existing federal law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known in California as CalFresh, under which counties distribute food assistance benefits to eligible individuals. Existing federal law limits an able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) participant to 3 months of CalFresh benefits in a 3-year period unless that participant has met specified work participation requirements. Existing law directs the State Department of Social Services to annually seek a federal waiver of this limitation, and provides that an eligible county is included in this waiver unless the county declines to participate in the waiver request. Existing law authorizes the department to implement this provision by all-county letters or similar instructions.
This bill would require all eligible counties to be included in the federal waiver of the ABAWD time limitation and would delete the authorization for the department to implement this provision by all-county letters or similar instructions. By expanding eligibility for CalFresh benefits, this bill would create a state-mandated local program.
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: yes.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 18900 of the Welfare and Institutions
2Code is amended to read:
Finding that hunger, undernutrition, and malnutrition
4are present and continuing problems faced by low-income
5California households, and further finding that the federal
6Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Chapter 51
7(commencing with Section 2011), Title 7, United States Code)
8offers significant health-vital benefits, the purpose of this chapter
9is to establish a statewide program to enable recipients of aid under
10Part 3 (commencing with Section 11000) or Part 5 (commencing
11with Section 17000) of this division and other low-income
12households to receive benefits under the federal Supplemental
13Nutrition Assistance Program.begin insert It is the intent of the Legislature
14that the CalFresh program be administered in a way that
15maximizes eligibility and participation in the
program, to the extent
16permitted by federal law. end insert
Section 18926 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
18amended to read:
(a) To the extent permitted by federal law, the
20department shall annually seek a federal waiver of the existing
21federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program limitation that
22stipulates that an able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD)
23participant is limited to three months of CalFresh benefits in a
24three-year period unless that participant has met the work
25participation requirement.
26(b) All eligible counties shall be included in and bound by this
27begin delete waiver unless a county declines to participate in the waiver request. begin insert
waiver.end insert
28If a county declines, the county shall submit documentation from
29the board of supervisors of that county to that effect.end delete
30(c) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the
31Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with
P3 1Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Government
Code)
2the department may implement this section by all-county letters
3or similar instructions.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
5this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
6local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
7pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
84 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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