BILL NUMBER: SB 947	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Pan

                        FEBRUARY 3, 2016

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


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 947, as introduced, 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 human services agency or state hospital staff. Existing
law also requires the county department to verify if an applicant is
incapable of acting on his or her own behalf by personal contact
with the applicant before aid is authorized.
   This bill would authorize the county human services agency to
conduct this personal interview telephonically or through electronic
means. The bill would require a personal interview to be conducted if
requested by an applicant or recipient. The bill would delete the
requirement that the county department verify an applicant is
incapable of acting on his or her own behalf.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


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
2016.
  SEC. 2.  Section 11052.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
   11052.5.   No   (a)     An
 applicant shall  not  be granted public assistance
under  Chapters 2   Chapter 2  (commencing
with Section 11200)  and 5 (commencing with Section 13000) of
this part  until he or she is first personally interviewed
by the office of the county  department   human
services agency  or state staff for patients in state hospitals.
 The   personal 
    (b)     In lieu of an in-person personal
interview as required under subdivision (a), the county may elect to
conduct the interview required by this section telepho  
nically or through other electronic means. The  interview shall
be conducted promptly following the application for assistance.
 If an applicant is incapable of acting in his or her own
behalf, the county department 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).

    The 
    (c)     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. 
   (d) A personal interview shall be conducted if requested by an
applicant.