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 county human services agency to compile a list ofbegin delete child feeding and summer feeding programs.end deletebegin insert
emergency and supplemental food assistance providers, as specified.end insert 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 inbegin insert the California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC Program) andend insert 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,begin insert specified children in the household are income-eligible for the WIC Program andend insert 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 county human services agencies, 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 county human services agency shall make the material
12developed pursuant to subdivision (b) available to an applicant at
13the time the applicant initially seeks CalFresh benefits.
14(d) A county human services agency shall, upon request, make
15available the information developed pursuant to subdivision (b)
16to community action agencies, legal services offices, emergency
17food programs, and other programs.
18(e) A county human services agency shall compile a list of
19emergencybegin insert and supplementalend insert foodbegin insert assistanceend insert providers, including
20localbegin delete child feeding and summer feeding programs,end deletebegin insert nutrition
21assistance programs authorized by Chapter II
(commencing with
P3 1Section 210.1) of Subtitle B of Title 7 of the Code of Federal
2Regulations,end insert in the area served by the local CalFresh office. The
3list shall be updated, based on informationbegin insert the county receivesend insert
4 frombegin delete theend deletebegin insert emergency and supplementalend insert foodbegin insert assistanceend insert providers,
5cities,begin delete andend delete school districtsbegin insert, summer lunch providers, the California
6Department of Education, and California Special Supplemental
7
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC
8Program)end insert. The list shall be made available to households applying
9for CalFresh. A county human services agency shall provide an
10applicant household that has children with information about how
11to enroll the children in thebegin insert WIC Program and theend insert National School
12Lunch and School Breakfast Programs while the CalFresh
13application is pending and shall inform the household that if the
14household is certified for CalFresh,begin insert children under five years of
15age in the household are income-eligible for the WIC Program,
16pursuant to Section 246.7 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal
17Regulations, and end insertall children in the household are directly certified
18for the National School
Lunch and School Breakfast Programs
19without further applicationbegin insert, pursuant to Section 245.6 of Title 7
20of the Code of Federal Regulationsend insert.
21(f) A county human services agency shall make available to
22CalFresh applicants, upon request, nonpromotional information
23that contains addresses and phone numbers of local legal services
24and welfare rights organizations.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
26this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
27local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
28pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
294 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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