Bill Text: CA SB904 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Public social services: CalFresh.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Failed) 2016-11-30 - From committee without further action. [SB904 Detail]

Download: California-2015-SB904-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: SB 904	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Hertzberg
   (Coauthors: Senators Hancock, Liu, and Wieckowski)

                        JANUARY 21, 2016

   An act to amend Sections 18900 and 18926 of the Welfare and
Institutions Code, relating to public social services.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 904, as introduced, Hertzberg. Public social services:
CalFresh.
   Existing federal law provides for the federal Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program, known in California as CalFresh, under
which counties distribute food assistance benefits to eligible
individuals. Existing federal law limits an able-bodied adult without
dependents (ABAWD) participant to 3 months of CalFresh benefits in a
3-year period unless that participant has met specified work
participation requirements. Existing law directs the State Department
of Social Services to annually seek a federal waiver of this
limitation, and provides that an eligible county is included in this
waiver unless the county declines to participate in the waiver
request. Existing law authorizes the department to implement this
provision by all-county letters or similar instructions.
   This bill would require all eligible counties to be included in
the federal waiver of the ABAWD time limitation and would delete the
authorization for the department to implement this provision by
all-county letters or similar instructions. By expanding eligibility
for CalFresh benefits, this bill would create 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 18900 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
   18900.  Finding that hunger, undernutrition, and malnutrition are
present and continuing problems faced by low-income California
households, and further finding that the federal Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (Chapter 51 (commencing with Section
2011), Title 7, United States Code) offers significant health-vital
benefits, the purpose of this chapter is to establish a statewide
program to enable recipients of aid under Part 3 (commencing with
Section 11000) or Part 5 (commencing with Section 17000) of this
division and other low-income households to receive benefits under
the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.  It is the
intent of the Legislature that the CalFresh program be administered
in a way that maximizes eligibility and participation in the 
 program, to the extent permitted by federal law. 
  SEC. 2.  Section 18926 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is
amended to read:
   18926.  (a) To the extent permitted by federal law, the department
shall annually seek a federal waiver of the existing federal
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program limitation that stipulates
that an able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) participant is
limited to three months of CalFresh benefits in a three-year period
unless that participant has met the work participation requirement.
   (b) All eligible counties shall be included in and bound by this
 waiver unless a county declines to participate in the waiver
request. If a county declines, the county shall submit documentation
from the board of supervisors of that county to that effect.
  waiver.  
   (c) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the
Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section
11340) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Government Code) the department
may implement this section by all-county letters or similar
instructions. 
  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.