BILL ANALYSIS �
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1930
Author: Skinner (D), et al.
Amended: 8/18/14 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE : 3-0, 6/10/14
AYES: Beall, DeSaulnier, Liu
NO VOTE RECORDED: Berryhill, Wyland
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 5-0, 8/14/14
AYES: De Le�n, Hill, Lara, Padilla, Steinberg
NO VOTE RECORDED: Walters, Gaines
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 61-12, 5/23/14 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : CalFresh: student eligibility
SOURCE : Coalition of California Welfare Rights Organizations
Western Center on Law and Poverty
DIGEST : This bill provides that, for the purposes of
determining eligibility, certain educational programs, as
determined by the Department of Social Services (DSS), shall be
considered employment training programs, thereby qualifying a
student participating in one of those programs for an exemption
to the prohibition on enrollment into the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP), unless prohibited by federal law.
This bill also requires the DSS, in consultation with
representatives from other specified organizations, to establish
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a protocol to identify and verify all potential exemptions and
participation in educational programs that qualify a student for
an exemption. This bill also requires DSS to seek and obtain
federal approval, as specified, prior to publishing guidance or
regulation, if the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) requires federal approval.
ANALYSIS : Existing law:
1.Establishes under federal law, SNAP, to promote the general
welfare and to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the
nation's population by raising the levels of nutrition among
low-income households.
2.Establishes in California statute the CalFresh program to
administer the provision of federal SNAP benefits to families
and individuals meeting specified criteria.
3.Establishes, under federal law, eligibility requirements for
receipt of SNAP benefits, including income that is at or below
130% of the federal poverty level and is determined to be a
substantial limiting factor in permitting a recipient to
obtain a more nutritious diet, as specified.
4.Prohibits an individual who is enrolled at least half-time in
an institution of higher education from eligibility in the
federal Food Stamp Program unless the individual qualifies for
one of the specified exemptions.
5.Establishes the CalFresh Employment and Training program
(CalFresh E&T), as authorized by the federal Food and
Nutrition Act of 2008, to assist members of CalFresh
households in gaining skills, training, work, or experience
that will increase their ability to obtain regular employment.
6.Requires that a California county that elects to participate
in CalFresh E&T shall screen CalFresh work registrants to
determine whether they will participate in, or be deferred
from, the program. Requires that an individual be deferred
from a mandatory placement in the CalFresh E&T program for a
number of specified reasons, including residence in a
federally determined work surplus area.
This bill:
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1.Requires an educational program that could be a component of a
CalFresh E&T program identified by DSS, to be considered an
E&T program, unless prohibited by federal law.
2.Requires DSS, in consultation with representatives of the
office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges,
offices of the Chancellor of the California State University,
University of California Chancellors' offices, the California
Workforce Investment Board, county human services agencies,
and advocates for students and clients, to establish a
protocol to identify and verify all potential exemptions to
the eligibility rule, as defined, and to identify and verify
participation in educational programs, including, but not
limited to, self-initiated placements, that exempt a student
from the eligibility rule. Requires, to the extent possible,
this consultation to take place through existing workgroups
convened by DSS.
3.Specifies that if the USDA requires federal approval of the
exemption designation established pursuant to these
provisions, DSS is required to seek and obtain that approval
before publishing guidance or regulation.
4.Specifies that these provisions do not require a county human
services agency to offer a particular component, support
services, or worker's compensation to a student found eligible
for an exemption nor does it restrict or require the use of
federal funds for the financing of CalFresh E&T programs.
Further specifies that these provisions do not require a
college or university to provide a student with information
necessary to verify eligibility for CalFresh.
5.Requires DSS to implement these provisions by all-county
letters or similar instructions beginning no later than
October 1, 2015, until regulations are adopted and requires
DSS to adopt regulations implementing these provisions on or
before October 1, 2017.
Background
Food Insecurity . Nationally, the USDA reported an estimated
14.5% of American households were food insecure at least some
time during the year in 2012, meaning they lacked access to
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enough food for an active, healthy life for all household
members. During the last decade, and especially during the
Great Recession, the number of families experiencing food
insecurity has increased.
CalFresh . The USDA's SNAP funds 100% of food benefits to
eligible households nationwide. The state, counties and federal
government share the cost of administering the program, which in
California is known as CalFresh. Specific eligibility
requirements are set by the USDA, including gross- and
net-income asset tests for most recipients, work requirements
and specific documentation requirements. The maximum gross
income allowed to be eligible is 130% of the federal poverty
level, or $23,850 for a family of four in 2014. The average
monthly benefit for a CalFresh recipient is $153.13 per month,
or $5.10 per day.
Since 2001, the overall CalFresh caseload has grown steadily,
including an increase of more than one million people between
2010 and 2013, at the peak of the Great Recession. Nonetheless,
California has been ranked last in the country for years in SNAP
participation rates, prompting concerns from the USDA, stories
in the state's newspapers and two Legislative hearings in 2014,
including a joint Senate and Assembly Human Services committee
hearing on March 11. Just 57% of eligible individuals were
enrolled in the program, compared to a national average of 79%
in 2011. Just 44% of California's eligible working poor
families received CalFresh benefits, compared to a national
average of 67%. DSS notes that low CalFresh participation
significantly impacts California's economy since every $5 of
federal SNAP benefits are calculated to generate $9 of local
economic activity.
Prior Legislature
SB 43 (Liu, Chapter 507, Statutes of 2011) permitted counties to
defer able-bodied working adults from required employment and
training participation in high unemployment areas, as specified.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
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Potentially moderate to significant one-time costs (General
Fund) for DSS to establish the screening protocol and identify
other programs eligible for exemption from the student
eligibility rule in consultation with various stakeholders.
To the extent the consultation takes place through existing
workgroups convened by DSS, this would serve to mitigate costs
to some degree.
Potentially major non-reimbursable local costs in the millions
of dollars (Local) for county human services agencies to
consider all potential exemptions (which could include
screening students) utilizing the protocol established by DSS.
For every 100,000 students screened for all potential
exemptions assuming 15 minutes per screening would cost about
$1.4 million (General Fund). Over 186,000 students receive CSU
Pell grants. As an indicator of possible need, there were 1.1
million students in California community colleges that
qualified for a fee waiver in the 2012-13 academic year.
Potential ongoing increase in CalFresh and California Food
Assistance Program benefits and administration costs
(Federal/General Fund) to the extent the screening protocol
results in additional student eligibility for CalFresh. These
costs would be offset in part by the associated economic
benefit of sales tax revenue generated through the sale of
taxable items.
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/18/14)
Coalition of California Welfare Rights Organizations (co-source)
Western Center on Law and Poverty (co-source)
Alameda County Community Food Bank
California Catholic Conference of Bishops
California Food Policy Advocates
California Partnership
Hunger Action Los Angeles
National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter
St. Anthony Foundation
Western Center on Law and Poverty
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 61-12, 5/23/14
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Ammiano, Bloom, Bocanegra, Bonta,
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Bradford, Brown, Buchanan, Ian Calderon, Campos, Chau,
Chesbro, Cooley, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dickinson, Eggman,
Fong, Fox, Frazier, Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon,
Gorell, Gray, Hagman, Hall, Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder,
Lowenthal, Maienschein, Medina, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian,
Olsen, Pan, Perea, John A. P�rez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon,
Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner,
Waldron, Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, Yamada, Atkins
NOES: Allen, Bigelow, Ch�vez, Conway, Donnelly, Beth Gaines,
Grove, Jones, Logue, Mansoor, Melendez, Patterson
NO VOTE RECORDED: Bonilla, Harkey, Roger Hern�ndez, Holden,
Nestande, V. Manuel P�rez, Vacancy
JL:nl 8/18/14 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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