BILL NUMBER: AB 1914	ENROLLED
	BILL TEXT

	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 23, 2010
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 25, 2010
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 18, 2010
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 15, 2010
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 26, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 12, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 5, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Davis

                        FEBRUARY 16, 2010

   An act to add Section 18914.1 to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to public social services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1914, Davis. Public social services: food stamp benefits.
   Existing law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP), under which food stamps are allocated to
the state by the federal government and are distributed to eligible
households by each county.
   Existing law provides for the payment of unemployment compensation
benefits to eligible individuals who are unemployed through no fault
of their own.
   This bill would require a county to take into consideration
unemployment compensation benefits of an applicant or recipient of
food stamp benefits for the purposes of determining eligibility and
the benefit amount only if the county obtains a report from the
applicant income and eligibility verification system, containing
specified information relating to the applicant's unemployment
compensation benefits.
   Existing law requires that county welfare departments have access
to computer information maintained by the Employment Development
Department relating to unemployment.
   This bill would require the county to provide a copy of the
applicant income and eligibility verification system report to the
applicant or recipient if the county takes any action based on that
report. The bill would specify that its requirements would not
preclude a county from obtaining official Employment Development
Department documentation from the applicant or recipient, if the
applicant or recipient already has possession of that verification,
as specified.
   This bill would require the department to implement the bill by
all-county letters issued by the department, and thereafter to adopt
implementing regulations, as specified.



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

  SECTION 1.  Section 18914.1 is added to the Welfare and
Institutions Code, to read:
   18914.1.  (a) (1) A county shall be required to take into
consideration any unemployment compensation benefit income of an
applicant or recipient under this chapter for the purposes of
determining eligibility and the amount of benefits only if the county
obtains a written or electronic report from the applicant income and
eligibility verification system, pursuant to Section 1320b-7 of
Title 42 of the United States Code, showing the exact amount of the
unemployment compensation benefits and the date that the applicant or
recipient will receive the unemployment compensation benefits. If
the county takes action based upon this documentation, the county
shall provide the applicant or recipient with a copy of the applicant
income and eligibility verification system report.
   (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), nothing in this section shall
preclude a county from obtaining official Employment Development
Department documentation from the applicant or recipient, if the
applicant or recipient already has possession of that verification
showing the exact amount and date of receipt of unemployment
compensation benefit income.
   (b) 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),
commencing January 1, 2011, the State Department of Social Services
shall initially implement this section through all-county letters
issued by the department. Thereafter, by January 1, 2012, the
department shall adopt regulations to implement this section, in
accordance with the rulemaking provisions of the act.