Bill Text: CA AB2152 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: CalFresh: able-bodied adults without dependents.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2018-09-14 - Vetoed by Governor. [AB2152 Detail]
Download: California-2017-AB2152-Enrolled.html
|
Enrolled
August 29, 2018 |
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Passed
IN
Senate
August 21, 2018 |
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Passed
IN
Assembly
August 27, 2018 |
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Amended
IN
Senate
June 19, 2018 |
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Amended
IN
Assembly
April 30, 2018 |
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Amended
IN
Assembly
March 19, 2018 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION
| Assembly Bill | No. 2152 |
| Introduced by Assembly Member Weber |
February 12, 2018 |
An act to add Section 18926.3 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to CalFresh.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2152, Weber.
CalFresh: able-bodied adults without dependents.
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 federal law limits a participant who is an able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) to 3 months of CalFresh benefits in a 3-year period unless that participant has met specified work participation requirements. Existing law also exempts certain adults from the ABAWD time limit, including persons determined to be medically certified as physically or mentally unfit for employment, which are persons who receive temporary or permanent disability benefits issued by governmental or private sources, who are obviously mentally or physically unfit for employment, or who provide a statement from specified
appropriate medical personnel stating that the person is physically or mentally unfit for employment.
This bill would require the department, in consultation with public health officials and CalFresh advocates, among others, by July 1, 2019, to define “food insecurity” for purposes of the bill, develop a tool that would screen for food insecurity and other basic needs deprivation, and to issue guidance that includes a copy of the screening tool and instructions for verifying when a person is “unfit for employment” following a screening that has determined that he or she is food insecure or deprived of their basic needs. To the extent that the bill would expand eligibility for CalFresh, it 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 the statutory provisions noted above.
Digest Key
Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YESBill Text
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
This act shall be known, and may be cited, as the You Can’t Work If You’re Hungry Act of 2018.SEC. 2.
Section 18926.3 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:18926.3.
No later than July 1, 2019, the department, in consultation with public health officials familiar with hunger and malnutrition among adults, county human services agencies, CalFresh advocates, and experts in job readiness, shall do both of the following:(a) Establish a definition of “food insecurity” for purposes of this section. In developing the definition, the department shall, at a minimum, take into consideration the definition established by the United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, as well as circumstances and conditions specific to California.
(b) Develop a tool that would screen for food insecurity and other basic needs deprivation and that would help counties
identify a person who should be further evaluated to determine if they are unfit for employment and therefore exempt from the federal able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) time limit specified in Section 273.24 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(c) Issue guidance to county human services agencies that includes both of the following:
(1) A copy of the screening tool developed pursuant to this section.
(2) Instructions for verifying when a person is unfit for employment following a screening that has determined that he or she is food insecure or deprived of their basic needs.
