Bill Text: CA AB2115 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: CalFresh: school meals.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2014-08-14 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB2115 Detail]
Download: California-2013-AB2115-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 2115 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 4, 2014
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 8, 2014
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 1, 2014
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Bradford
FEBRUARY 20, 2014
An act to amend Section 18911 of the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to CalFresh.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
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. 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.
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 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 human services agency 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 human services agency 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 human services agency shall compile a list of
emergency and supplemental food assistance providers, including local
nutrition assistance programs authorized by Chapter II (commencing
with Section 210.1) of Subtitle B of Title 7 of the Code of Federal
Regulations, in the area served by the local CalFresh office. The
list shall be updated, based on information the county receives from
emergency and supplemental food assistance providers, cities, school
districts, summer lunch providers, the California Department of
Education, and California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC Program). The list shall be made
available to households applying for CalFresh. A county human
services agency shall provide an applicant household that has
children with information about how to enroll the children in the WIC
Program and the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs
while the CalFresh application is pending and shall inform the
household that if the household is certified for CalFresh, children
under five years of age in the household are income-eligible for the
WIC Program, pursuant to Section 246.7 of Title 7 of the Code of
Federal Regulations, and all children in the household are directly
certified for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs
without further application, pursuant to Section 245.6 of Title 7 of
the Code of Federal Regulations.
(f) A county human services agency shall make available to
CalFresh applicants, upon request, nonpromotional information that
contains addresses and phone numbers of local legal services and
welfare rights organizations.
(g) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the
Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section
11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code),
the department shall implement this section by all-county letters or
similar instructions beginning no later than May 1, 2015, until
regulations are adopted. The department shall adopt regulations
implementing this section on or before October 1, 2017.
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.
