Bill Text: CA AB1377 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Assembly Bill 1377 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: CalFresh.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2019-10-02 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 461, Statutes of 2019. [AB1377 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB1377-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 1377

Introduced by Assembly Member Wicks

February 22, 2019

An act to add Section 49557.4 to the Education Code, and to amend Section 18901.55 of, and to add Section 18901.56 to, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to CalFresh.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 1377, as introduced, Wicks. CalFresh.

Existing federal law provides for the 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 law requires each school district or county superintendent of schools maintaining kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to provide for each needy pupil one nutritionally adequate free or reduced-price meal during each schoolday, as specified, and authorizes a school district or county office of education to use funds available through any federal or state program for those purposes, as specified. Existing law authorizes each school district or county office of education to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the local agency that determines CalFresh program eligibility to share information regarding the School Lunch Program. If a county has entered into that MOU, existing law requires the county to enroll the child in CalFresh if the child is eligible.

This bill would require, on and after July 1, 2020, except as specified, if a county is informed that a child meets federal eligibility criteria for free and reduced-price meals, the child to be deemed categorically eligible for the CalFresh program and the parent or guardian to be notified of this determination. The bill would require each school district or county office of education to provide information regarding the child’s eligibility for the School Lunch Program to the local agency that determines CalFresh program eligibility for purposes of implementing the categorical eligibility. By imposing a higher level of service on county officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The bill would also require the State Department of Social Services to issue all necessary guidance to county human services agencies and to communicate with the Department of Education regarding the implementation of the program no later than April 30, 2020.

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 the statutory provisions noted above.

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 49557.4 is added to the Education Code, to read:

49557.4.

(a) Pursuant to instructions issued by the department, each school district or county office of education shall provide information to the local agency that determines CalFresh program eligibility for purposes of implementing the Categorical Student Eligibility for CalFresh program as described in Section 18901.56 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. This information shall be provided for students who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Information shall not be shared for any othnless specifically authorized to do so pursuant to other law.

(e) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2020.

SEC. 2.

Section 18901.55 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

18901.55.

(a) If a county has entered into a memorandum of understanding pursuant to Section 49557.3 of the Education Code, the county shall use the procedure described in this section to determine CalFresh program eligibility for children whose information is shared with the county pursuant to Section 49557.3 of the Education Code, and, if the child is eligible, the county to enroll the child in the CalFresh program, upon receipt of a signed CalFresh program application.

(b) Upon receipt of information on the School Lunch Program application pursuant to this section for a pupil who is not already enrolled in the CalFresh program, the county shall treat the application as an application for the CalFresh program. For purposes of administration of the CalFresh program, the application date shall be the date that the application is received by the county human services department. If the county determines that the pupil is already enrolled in the CalFresh program, it shall not take any further action. Unless otherwise prohibited by federal law or regulation, for purposes of expedited service processing, a county shall request information necessary for processing an application at the first point of contact following receipt of information. If information is provided to determine whether the household meets the criteria for expedited service, the expedited timeframe processing timeframes shall apply from the point of first contact. For the processing of other households, the processing timeframes shall apply from the point at which the county has received sufficient information in order to process the application.

(c) (1) If the county determines from information on the School Lunch Program application and supporting documents that the child or ~~his or her~~ the child’s family meets the income eligibility requirements for participation in the CalFresh program, the county shall notify the parent or guardian of the child that the child or ~~his or her~~ the child’s family has been found eligible for the CalFresh program.

(2) Effective July 1, 2020, if the county is provided information through the implementation of this section that indicates a child meets federal eligibility criteria for free and reduced-price meals as defined in Section 49531 of the Education Code, the child is eligible for the CalFresh program and the parent or guardian shall be notified of this determination.

(d) If the county is unable to determine from the information on the application whether the child or ~~his or her~~ the child’s family is eligible for the CalFresh program, the county shall contact the parent or guardian of the child to seek any additional information regarding income, household composition, or deductions that the county may determine to be necessary to complete the CalFresh program application. If the county determines that the child or ~~his or her~~ the child’s family does not meet the eligibility requirements for participation in the CalFresh program, the county shall notify the parent or guardian of the child of the determination.

(f) If a parent or guardian of a child does not provide the documentation required for retention of CalFresh program eligibility, as requested pursuant to subdivision (e), the county shall deny or discontinue CalFresh program benefits in accordance with existing regulations and laws.

SEC. 3.

Section 18901.56 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

18901.56.

(a) There is hereby created the Categorical Student Eligibility for CalFresh Program as described in this section.

(b) Under the Categorical Student Eligibility for CalFresh Program, any student who meets federal eligibility criteria for free and reduced-price meals, as defined in Section 49531 of the Education Code, shall be deemed categorically eligible for the CalFresh program.

(c) (1) No later than April 30, 2020, the department shall issue all necessary guidance to county human services agencies and shall communicate with the Department of Education to ensure instructions are issued to each school district and county office of education regarding the implementation of this program. That communication shall include, but not be limited to, guidance for the provision of information on the School Lunch Program application to the county human services agency for determination of CalFresh eligibility, provided that the parent or guardian of the child has not opted out of the program.

(2) All affected agencies shall communicate and are hereby authorized to share personally identifying data as necessary to ensure maximum enrollment of children eligible for the Categorical Student Eligibility for CalFresh program. Necessary information to be securely transmitted to the county shall include, but may not be limited to, the child’s name, date of birth, social security number, name of parent or guardian, telephone number, and address.

(d) The department and the Department of Education shall engage stakeholders to determine the best way of communicating to parents and guardians applying for the School Lunch Program that a child who meets federal eligibility criteria for free or reduced-price meals is also eligible for CalFresh benefits and how the parent may opt out of the CalFresh program on behalf of the parent’s otherwise eligible student.

(e) Each county shall request the parent or guardian of each child whom the county determines meets the eligibility requirements for participation in the CalFresh program under this section to provide additional documentation as required by current law necessary for retention of eligibility in the CalFresh program. The county shall also provide the parent or guardian an opportunity to apply for CalFresh for themselves or other members of the household at that time.

(f) This section, except paragraph (1) of subparagraph (c), shall become operative on July 1, 2020.

SEC. 4.

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.