Bill Text: CA AB435 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Public social services: automated application process.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2024-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB435 Detail]
Download: California-2023-AB435-Amended.html
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Amended
IN
Assembly
March 30, 2023 |
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Amended
IN
Assembly
February 28, 2023 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 435
| Introduced by Assembly Member Cervantes |
February 06, 2023 |
An act to add Sections 10007 and 10008 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to human services.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 435, as amended, Cervantes.
Public social services: automated application process.
Existing law requires the Office of Systems Integration within the California Health and Human Services Agency to implement a statewide automated welfare system, known as the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS), for various public assistance programs, including the CalWORKs program, CalFresh, and the Medi-Cal program. Under existing law, among other duties, the state is consolidating existing consortia systems into the single CalSAWS.
Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to establish and supervise the Cash Assistance Program for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Legal Immigrants (CAPI), which provides cash assistance to aged, blind, and disabled legal immigrants who are not citizens of the United States, as specified. Existing law establishes the state-funded Trafficking and Crime Victim Assistance Program
(TCVAP), which provides critical benefits and services to noncitizen victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes. Existing law also requires the department, after setting aside state administrative funds, to allocate social services funds derived from appropriated federal funds and federally targeted assistance to eligible counties. Existing law requires these funds, known as Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), to be used by the county, pursuant to a plan developed by the county, to provide services to refugees that lead to successful self-sufficiency and social integration for the refugees.
This bill would require CalSAWS to accept and process applications for CAPI, TCVAP, and RCA. The bill would require a county social services department to post on its internet website general information identifying available immigrant benefit services, including, but not limited to, those programs. By increasing the duties of county human services
departments, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services, with 60 days of the effective date of the bill, to report to the budget committees and relevant policy committees of the Legislature the department’s plan to ensure that potential beneficiaries are able to apply online for those programs by December 1, 2024, or when the department notifies the Legislature that CalSAWS can perform the necessary automation to implement it, as specified. The bill would require the department to implement the bill’s requirements by all-county letters or similar instructions, beginning no later than March 1, 2024, or when the department notifies the Legislature that CalSAWS can perform the necessary automation to implement it, until
regulations are adopted. The bill also would make findings and declarations relating to CalSAWS automation activities.
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.
The Legislature finds and declares as follows:(a) The Legislature recognizes that only 20 percent of the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS) automation activities are devoted to migration, while 60 percent are devoted to automating county initiatives.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature, with respect to CalSAWS automation activities, that legislative initiatives, such as Section 10007 of the Welfare and Institutions Code as added by Section 2 of this act, shall be prioritized over county initiatives.
SEC. 2.
Section 10007 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:10007.
(a) The statewide electronic application system established pursuant to Chapter 4.1 (commencing with Section 10816) of Part 2 shall accept and process applications for the Cash Assistance Program for Aged, Blind, and Disabled Legal Immigrants (Chapter 10.3 (commencing with Section 18937) of Part 6), the Trafficking and Crime Victim Assistance Program under paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 13650, and Refugee Cash Assistance (Chapter 5.5 (commencing with Section 13275)).(b) Within 60 days from the effective date of the act that added this section, the State Department of Social Services shall report to the budget committees and policy committees of the
Legislature responsible for the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS) on the department’s plan to ensure that potential beneficiaries of programs specified in subdivision (a) are able to apply for those programs through the BenefitsCal online portal by December 1, 2024. 2024, or when the department notifies the Legislature that CalSAWS can perform the necessary automation to implement it, whichever is later.
(c) A report submitted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be submitted in accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
