AB 2115, as amended, Bradford. CalFresh: school meals.
Existing law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing federal law requires that a child receiving benefits under SNAP be certified as eligible for free lunches and free breakfasts without further application. Existing law requires a county welfare department to compile a list of emergency food providers and make that list available upon request.
This bill would additionally require a countybegin delete welfare departmentend deletebegin insert human services agencyend insert
to compile a list of child feeding and summer feeding programs. The bill would also require a county human services agency to provide an applicant household that has children with information about how to enroll the children in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs while the CalFresh application is pending and to inform the household that if the household is certified for CalFresh, all children in the household are directly certified for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs without further application.
By increasing the duties of countybegin delete welfare departments,end deletebegin insert human services agencies,end insert the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
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.
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.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 18911 of the Welfare and Institutions
2Code is amended to read:
(a) An application and an authorization for participation
4in CalFresh shall be processed within a period of not more than
530 days from the date of application.
6(b) The department shall develop written information that
7describes the eligibility and verification requirements for expedited
8service, the process for applying for those benefits, and the
9availability of assistance in filling out the forms and gathering
10needed documentation.
11(c) A countybegin delete welfare departmentend deletebegin insert human services
agencyend insert shall
12make the material developed pursuant to subdivision (b) available
13to an applicant at the time the applicant initially seeks CalFresh
14benefits.
15(d) A countybegin delete welfare departmentend deletebegin insert human services agencyend insert shall,
16upon request, make available the information developed pursuant
17to subdivision (b) to community action agencies, legal services
18offices, emergency food programs, and other programs.
19(e) A county humanbegin delete serviceend deletebegin insert servicesend insert
agency shall compile a list
20of emergency food providers, including local child feeding and
21summer feeding programs, in the area served by the local CalFresh
22office. The list shall be updated, based on information from the
23food providers, cities, and school districts. The list shall be made
24available to households applying for CalFresh. A countybegin delete welfare begin insert human services agencyend insert shall provide an applicant
25departmentend delete
26household that has children with information about how to enroll
P3 1the children in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast
2Programs while the CalFresh application is pending and shall
3inform the household that if the household is certified for CalFresh,
4all children in the household are
directly certified for the National
5School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs without further
6application.
7(f) A countybegin delete welfare departmentend deletebegin insert human services agencyend insert shall
8make available to CalFresh applicants, upon request,
9nonpromotional information that contains addresses and phone
10numbers of local legal services and welfare rights organizations.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
12this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
13local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
14pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
154 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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