BILL NUMBER: SB 2013	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY   JUNE 6, 2000
	AMENDED IN SENATE   MARCH 30, 2000

INTRODUCED BY   Committee on Health and Human Services (Senators
Escutia (Chair), Figueroa, Hughes, Polanco, Solis, and Vasconcellos)

                        FEBRUARY 25, 2000

   An act to add Section 18901.8 to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to food stamps.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 2013, as amended, Committee on Health and Human Services.  Food
Stamp Program:  application form.
   Existing law provides for the Food Stamp Program, under which each
county distributes food stamps allocated to this state by the
federal government to eligible households.
   This bill would require the State Department of Social Services,
in conjunction with affected stakeholder groups, and subject to
federal approval, to develop and implement a simplified shortened
Food Stamp Program application form  for nonassistance food stamp
cases.  It would require the form to be evaluated for use in
specified multiprogram applications.
   The bill would prohibit the department from requiring any county
to implement use of the simplified form until a statewide automated
welfare system prescribed by law has been programmed to automate the
form and the intake process.
   The bill would require the department by July 1, 2001, to complete
the simplified form and report to the Legislature regarding its
progress in implementing the form  .
   Vote:  majority.  Appropriation:  no.  Fiscal committee:  yes.
State-mandated local program:  no.


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


  SECTION 1.  Section 18901.8 is added to the Welfare and
Institutions Code, to read:
   18901.8.   To the extent feasible and permissible under
 (a) To the extent permitted by  federal law, and
with receipt of necessary federal approvals, the State Department of
Social Services, in conjunction with affected stakeholder groups,
shall develop and implement  , if otherwise feasible,  a
simplified and shorter  enrollment form for the Food Stamp
Program. This section shall apply both to the enrollment form used in
Food Stamp Program-only cases and to the Food Stamp Program portion
of the combined Food Stamp, Medi-Cal, and CalWORKs form 
 application form for nonassistance food stamp cases.  The
contents of this simpler form shall be evaluated for use in
multiprogram application forms for the food stamp, Medi-Cal, and
CalWORKs programs  . The department shall seek any federal
approvals necessary for implementation of the form.  
   (b) The department shall not require any county to implement use
of the form described in subdivision (a) until the statewide
automated welfare system described in Section 10823 has been
programmed to automate the new form and intake process.
   (c) The department shall, by July 1, 2001, complete the simplified
form required by subdivision (a) and report to the Legislature
regarding its progress in implementing the form.