California Assembly Bill AB1914 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1914AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 5, 2010 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Davis FEBRUARY 16, 2010 An act  to amend Section 18914 of the Welfare and Institutions Code,  relating to public social services. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1914, as amended, Davis. Public social services: emergency food stamp benefits. Existing law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), under which food stamps are allocated to the state by the federal government and are distributed to eligible households by each county. Existing law requires, to the extent provided by federal law, that food stamp benefits be provided on an expedited basis to households determined to be in immediate need of food assistance.  This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would require the state to provide emergency food stamp benefits to those waiting for their unemployment benefits or an extension of unemployment benefits to become available.   Existing law provides for the payment of unemployment compensation benefits to eligible individuals who are unemployed through no fault of their own.   This bill additionally would require expedited food stamp benefits to be provided to persons awaiting receipt of unemployment compensation benefits, as specified, and would require the State Department of Social Services to seek any federal waivers necessary to implement the bill.   To the extent that it would increase the duties if counties in administering the SNAP, 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.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no   yes  . State-mandated local program:  no   yes . THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:  SECTION 1.   Section 18914 of the   Welfare and Institutions Code   , as amended by Section 4 of Chapter 443 of the Statutes of 1990, is amended to   read:  18914. (a) To the extent provided by federal law, the county welfare department shall provide food stamp benefits on an expedited basis to  households determined to be in immediate need of food assistance.   both of the following:   (1) Households determined to be in immediate need of food assistance.   (2) Persons awaiting receipt of unemployment compensation benefits under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1251) of Part 1 of Division 1 of the Unemployment Insurance Code. The State Department of Social Services shall seek any necessary waivers from the United States Department of Agriculture to implement this paragraph.  (b) At the time an applicant initially seeks assistance, the county welfare department shall screen all expedited service applications on a priority basis. Applicants who meet the federal criteria for expedited service shall receive either a manual authorization to participate or automated card or the immediate issuance of food stamp coupons no later than the third day following the date the application was filed. To the maximum extent permitted by federal law, the amount of income to be received from any source shall be deemed to be uncertain and exempt from consideration in the determination of eligibility for expedited service. For purposes of this subdivision, a weekend shall be considered one calendar day. (c) The State Department of Social Services shall develop and implement for expedited issuance a uniform procedure for verifying information required of an applicant.  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.   SECTION 1.   It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would require the state to provide emergency food stamp benefits to those waiting for their unemployment benefits or an extension of unemployment benefits to become available.