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 of emergency and supplemental food assistance providers, as specified. 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 California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC Program) and 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, specified children in the household are income-eligible for the WIC Program and all children in the household are directly certified for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs without further application.begin insert The bill would require the department to implement these provisions by all-county letters or similar instructions beginning no later than May 1, 2015, until regulations are adopted, and would require the department to adopt regulations on or before October 1, 2017.end insert
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.
P3 1(e) A county human services agency shall compile a list of
2emergency and supplemental food assistance providers, including
3local nutrition assistance programs authorized by Chapter II
4(commencing with Section 210.1) of Subtitle B of Title 7 of the
5Code of Federal Regulations, in the area served by the local
6CalFresh office. The list shall be updated, based on information
7the county receives from emergency and supplemental food
8assistance providers, cities, school districts, summer lunch
9providers, the California Department of Education, and California
10
Special Supplemental
Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
11Children (WIC Program). The list shall be made available to
12households applying for CalFresh. A county human services agency
13shall provide an applicant household that has children with
14information about how to enroll the children in the WIC Program
15and the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs
16while the CalFresh application is pending and shall inform the
17household that if the household is certified for CalFresh, children
18under five years of age in the household are income-eligible for
19the WIC Program, pursuant to Section 246.7 of Title 7 of the Code
20of Federal Regulations, and all children in the household are
21directly certified for the National School Lunch and School
22Breakfast Programs without further application, pursuant to Section
23245.6 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
24(f) A county human services agency shall make available to
25CalFresh applicants, upon request, nonpromotional information
26that contains addresses and phone numbers of local legal services
27and welfare rights organizations.
28(g) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the
29Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with
30Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government
31Code), the department shall implement this section by all-county
32letters or similar instructions beginning no later than May 1, 2015,
33until regulations are adopted. The department shall adopt
34regulations implementing this section on or before October 1,
352017.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
37this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
38local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
P4 1pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
24 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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