BILL NUMBER: AB 2280	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 29, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Lara

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2012

   An act  to add Section 123327 to the Health and Safety Code,
  relating to public social services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2280, as amended, Lara. California Special Supplemental Food
Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
    Existing law, the California Special Supplemental Food Program
for Women, Infants, and Children  (WIC)   (WIC
Program)  , administered by the State Department of Public
Health, provides for the issuance of nutrition coupons, as defined,
to certain low-income women, infants, and children who have been
determined to be at nutritional risk. The WIC  program
  Program  , which implements a program authorized
under existing federal law, provides for the redemption of nutrition
coupons by recipients at any authorized retail food vendor. 
Existing law provides that a   vendor or any person who,
among other things, knowingly redeems coupons in excess of the price
charged other customers is subject to specified sanctions  
.  
   This bill would require the department, within 30 days, to provide
written notice, as prescribed, to a vendor if the department
determines that the vendor has committed an initial violation for
which a pattern of the violation must be established to impose a
sanction. This bill would require the notice to be delivered to the
vendor before the department conducts a second investigation for
purposes of establishing a pattern of the violation.  
   This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation that would develop policies that clarify and improve the
activities and practices related to vendor sanctions and
notifications under the WIC program. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no
  yes  . State-mandated local program: no.


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

   SECTION 1.    Section 123327 is added to the 
 Health and Safety Code   , to read:  
   123327.  (a) The department, within 30 days, shall provide written
notice to a retail food vendor if the department determines that the
vendor has committed an initial violation for which a pattern of the
violation must be established to impose a sanction.
   (b) The written notice shall be delivered to the vendor's most
recent business ownership address on file with the department before
the department conducts a second investigation for purposes of
establishing a pattern of the violation.
   (c) The written notice shall include a description of the initial
violation sufficient to allow the vendor to take corrective action
that includes all of the following:
   (1) A description of the sales transaction constituting the
violation.
   (2) The date and approximate time of the transaction.
   (3) The location of the vendor store.  
  SECTION 1.    It is the intent of the Legislature
to enact legislation that would develop policies that clarify and
improve the activities and practices related to vendor sanctions and
notifications under the California Special Supplemental Food Program
for Women, Infants, and Children.