Amended in Senate May 31, 2016

Amended in Senate March 31, 2016

Senate Bill No. 947

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 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 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 begin delete an in-person personal 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. end delete begin insert a county, if that county elects to conduct the personal interview telephonically or through other electronic means, to conduct an in-person personal interview if requested by an applicant. end insert

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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.

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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.

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Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  begin delete yes end delete begin insert no end insert . State-mandated local program:  begin delete yes end delete begin insert no end insert .

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.  

(a) An applicant shall not be granted public assistance
under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) and Chapter
5.1 (commencing with Section 13000) until he or she is first
personally interviewed by the office of the county human services
agency or state staff for patients in state hospitals.

(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 telephonically or through other electronic
means. If an applicant is incapable of acting in his or her own
behalf, the county department shall verify this fact begin insert by personal
contact end insert 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).

(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.

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(d) An in-person personal interview shall be conducted if
requested by an applicant.

end delete begin insert

(d) If a county elects to conduct the personal interview required
under subdivision (a) telephonically or through other electronic
means, the county shall conduct an in-person personal interview
in lieu of an interview through telephonic or other electronic means
if requested by an applicant.

end insert

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SEC. 3.  

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.

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