Bill Text: CA AB719 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Bill 719 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Transitional food stamps for foster youth.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-0)

Status: (Passed) 2009-10-11 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 371, Statutes of 2009. [AB719 Detail]

Download: California-2009-AB719-Chaptered.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 719	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  371
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  OCTOBER 11, 2009
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  OCTOBER 11, 2009
	PASSED THE SENATE  SEPTEMBER 2, 2009
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  SEPTEMBER 9, 2009
	AMENDED IN SENATE  AUGUST 19, 2009

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano, Beall, Hall, John A. Perez,
Portantino, Skinner, and Torres)

                        FEBRUARY 26, 2009

   An act to add Section 18901.4 to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to public social services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 719, Bonnie Lowenthal. Transitional food stamps for foster
youth.
   Existing law declares the duty of the state to care for and
protect the children that it places into foster care. Under existing
law, the State Department of Social Services has various powers and
duties relating to ensuring that the needs of foster children are
met.
   Existing law requires the State Department of Health Care
Services, if, and to the extent that, all necessary federal approvals
are obtained for federal financial participation, to implement a
federal option to extend Medi-Cal benefits to independent foster care
adolescents, as defined in federal law.
   Existing law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly the Food Stamp Program), under
which each county distributes nutrition assistance benefits to
eligible households. The SNAP is administered at the state level by
the State Department of Social Services.
   This bill would require the department to propose a Transitional
Food Stamps for Foster Youth demonstration project, effective July 1,
2010. The demonstration project would provide independent foster
care adolescents, who are not eligible for CalWORKs or SSI benefits,
with eligibility for food stamps without regard to income or
resources.
   This bill would require the department to implement its provisions
by all-county letter or similar instructions, and would prescribe
additional duties of the department in connection with the
transitional food stamp demonstration project, including obtaining
necessary federal approvals. This bill would be implemented only to
the extent that federal financial participation is available.
   By increasing county duties, this 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.


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

  SECTION 1.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) Foster youth who emancipate from foster care face a
disproportionately higher rate of unemployment. Fifty-one percent of
emancipated foster youth are unemployed within two to four years of
emancipation.
   (b) Fewer than four in 10 foster youth had at least two hundred
fifty dollars ($250) in cash upon emancipating.
   (c) Forty-six percent of emancipated foster youth have not
completed high school.
   (d) Sixty-five percent of foster youth emancipate without a place
to live.
   (e) Forty percent of persons living in homeless shelters are
former foster youth.
   (f) Nearly 50 percent of emancipated foster youth suffer from
chronic health conditions such as asthma, visual and auditory
problems, dental decay, and malnutrition.
   (g) Competing priorities for limited economic and social resources
force emancipated foster youth who cannot meet their basic needs to
prioritize their needs for food, housing, and health care.
  SEC. 2.  Section 18901.4 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:
   18901.4.  (a) Effective July 1, 2010, the department shall propose
a Transitional Food Stamps for Foster Youth demonstration project
under which independent foster care adolescents, as defined in
Section 1905(w)(1) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sec.
1396d(w)(1)) who are not eligible for CalWORKs or Supplementary
Security Income program benefits, shall be eligible without regard to
income or resources, subject to federal law authorizing
demonstration projects pursuant to Section 2011 and following of
Title 7 of the United States Code.
   (b) An individual eligible for the program proposed pursuant to
this section shall receive the maximum benefit amount allotted for a
household size of one for the initial certification period, which
shall remain constant for the entirety of the initial certification
period. The food stamp case shall be established and maintained in
the county of jurisdiction designated by the terminating foster care
case.
   (c) The demonstration project proposed pursuant to this section
shall maximize access to benefits and minimize interim reporting
requirements during the certification period.
   (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, Chapter 4.6
(commencing with Section 10830) of Part 2 of Division 9 shall not
apply to individuals eligible under this section during the 12-month
transitional food stamp demonstration project certification period.
   (e) Not later than March 1, 2010, the department shall seek all
necessary federal approvals to implement this section as a
demonstration project for these beneficiaries. This section shall be
implemented only to the extent that federal financial participation
is available.
   (f) The department shall implement this section by an all-county
letter (ACL) or similar instruction from the director and shall adopt
regulations as otherwise necessary to implement this section no
later than January 1, 2011.
  SEC. 3.  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.