Bill Text: CA AB2057 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Amended

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

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Bill Title: CalFresh: victims of domestic violence.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2016-09-30 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 859, Statutes of 2016. [AB2057 Detail]

Download: California-2015-AB2057-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 2057	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 16, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Mark Stone

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2016

   An act to amend Section  18911   18904.1
 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to CalFresh.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2057, as amended, Mark Stone. CalFresh: application
information.
   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 law requires the State
Department of Social Services to  develop specified written
information relating to application for CalFresh, and requires a
county welfare department to make this information available to an
applicant and, upon request, to emergency food programs, among other
entities, as specified.   administer the CalFresh
program, as specified.  Existing law also  requires a
county welfare department to compile a list of emergency food
providers, and to make other information available to applicants, as
specified.  requires the director to maintain methods
for over-the-counter issuance that guarantee program accessibility in
all cases when a household has been found to be in immediate need of
food assistance or when a household has been determined to be
eligible for the replacement of a previous issuance of CalFresh
benefits.  
   This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes in these
provisions.  
   This bill would require the department and county officials to act
pursuant to all federal authority to ensure that the replacement of
a previous issuance of CalFresh benefits is made available as
expeditiously as possible for all eligible recipients, as specified.
The bill would also authorize, if a recipient is eligible for a
replacement of a previous issuance, the benefit to be issued by the
county human services agency in the county where the recipient
currently resides or in the county where the recipient received a
previous issuance. The bill would require, if a recipient is eligible
for a replacement of a previous issuance because he or she is a
victim of domestic violence, the replacement benefit to be issued in
a manner that does not allow for any information about the
replacement or its request to be accessible to the person whom the
recipient is fleeing. By imposing a higher level of service on county
employees, 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:  no
  yes  . State-mandated local program:  no
  yes  .


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

   SECTION 1.    Section 18904.1 of the  
Welfare and Institutions Code   is amended to read: 
   18904.1.  (a) The director, to the extent permitted by federal
law, shall establish methods for CalFresh benefit issuance in all
counties  which   that  guarantee to
low-income households the health-vital nutritional benefits available
under this chapter and to achieve the most efficient system for
program administration so as to minimize administrative costs.
   (b) The director shall maintain methods for over-the-counter and
mail issuance of CalFresh benefits in a county until issuance of
CalFresh benefits by electronic benefits transfer for all CalFresh
recipients in the county has been implemented pursuant to Chapter 3
(commencing with Section 10065) of Part 1.
   (c) Until issuance of CalFresh benefits by electronic
benefits transfer has been implemented in a county for all CalFresh
recipients, the director shall maintain, in the county, 
 County human services agencies shall maintain  methods for
over-the-counter issuance that guarantee program accessibility in all
cases  where   when  a household has been
found to be in immediate need of food assistance or  where
  when  a household has been determined to be
eligible for the replacement of a previous issuance. 
   (d) The department and county officials shall act pursuant to all
federal authority to ensure that the replacement of a previous
issuance of CalFresh benefits is made available as expeditiously as
possible for all eligible recipients, using the methods established
pursuant to subdivision (c).  
   (e) (1) If a recipient is eligible for a replacement of a previous
issuance, the benefit may be issued by the county human services
agency in the county where the recipient currently resides or in the
county where the recipient received a previous issuance.  
   (2) If a recipient is eligible for a replacement of a previous
issuance because he or she is a victim of domestic violence, the
replacement benefit shall be issued in a manner that does not allow
any information about the replacement or its request to be accessible
to the person from whom the recipient is fleeing. 
   SEC. 2.    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.  
  SECTION 1.    Section 18911 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code is amended to read:
   18911.  (a) An application and an authorization for participation
in CalFresh shall be processed within a period of not more than 30
days from the date of application.
   (b) The department shall develop written information that
describes the eligibility and verification requirements for expedited
service, the process for applying for those benefits, and the
availability of assistance in filling out the forms and gathering
needed documentation.
   (c) A county welfare department shall make the material developed
pursuant to subdivision (b) available to an applicant at the time the
applicant initially seeks CalFresh benefits.
   (d) A county welfare department shall, upon request, make
available the information developed pursuant to subdivision (b) to
community action agencies, legal services offices, emergency food
programs, and other programs.
   (e) A county welfare department shall compile a list of emergency
food providers in the area served by the local CalFresh office. The
list shall be updated, based on information from the food providers.
The list shall be made available upon request, and, where needed, may
be used to refer individuals to emergency food sites that may be
able to provide assistance.
   (f) A county welfare department shall make available to CalFresh
applicants, upon request, nonpromotional information that contains
addresses and phone numbers of local legal services and welfare
rights organizations.