California Assembly Bill AB808 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 808AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 30, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Skinner FEBRUARY 17, 2011 An act to amend Section 18901.6 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to public social services. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 808, as amended, Skinner. CalFresh: transitional  benefits.   benefits  and recertification.  Existing law requires each county to provide cash assistance and other social services to needy families through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program using federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grant program, state, and county funds. Existing federal law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh, formerly the Food Stamp Program, under which food stamps allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing law  authorizes   requires  county welfare departments to provide transitional CalFresh benefits to households terminating their participation in the CalWORKs program, to the maximum extent allowable by federal law.  This bill would require the county welfare department to mail a transitional CalFresh benefits recipient a periodic reporting form at the same time that the final month of transitional benefits are issued. The bill would require the department to revise the form to ask the recipient whether continued benefits are desired after the transitional benefits terminate, and to direct the recipient to complete the reporting form, as specified. The completed reporting form would be considered an application for continued CalFresh benefits. By imposing additional requirements on counties in administering the program, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.   This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to meet and consult with advocates and the counties in implementing the bill, and would authorize the bill's implementation by all-county letters or similar instructions from the director.  This bill would require the county welfare department to provide each household receiving transitional CalFresh benefits with a notice for recertification to continue to receive regular CalFresh benefits, which would include an appointment date and time, as specified. By imposing additional duties on counties administering CalFresh, 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: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 18901.6 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18901.6. (a) To the maximum extent allowable by federal law, each county welfare department shall provide transitional CalFresh benefits to households terminating their participation in the CalWORKs program.  (b) When the last month of transitional CalFresh benefits are issued under this section, the county welfare department shall also mail the recipient the regular periodic reporting form used by the department, in accordance with the policies and procedures of the department for regular periodic reporting. The form provided pursuant to this subdivision shall be revised to include a space for the recipient to indicate whether continued CalFresh benefits are desired after the transitional benefits terminate, and if so, directing the recipient to complete the form for an eligibility determination. If the recipient's completed reporting form indicates that continued benefits are desired, and that the recipient is eligible, the form shall be considered an application for continued CalFresh benefits, and continued CalFresh benefits shall be based upon the information contained in the periodic report.   (c) The State Department of Social Services shall meet and consult with advocates and the counties in implementing this section. Notwithstanding the Administrative Procedure Act, Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the department may implement this section through all-county letters or similar instructions from the director.   (b) (1) The Legislature finds and declares that 40 percent of CalWORKs recipients who receive transitional CalFresh benefits under subdivision (a) reapply to receive regular CalFresh benefits.   (2) The county welfare department shall provide each household receiving transitional CalFresh benefits under subdivision (a) with a notice for recertification to continue to receive regular CalFresh benefits. The recertification notice shall specify an appointment date and time, which shall be scheduled to occur during the last month of receipt of transitional benefits. To the extent permitted by federal law, the recertification process designed pursuant to this paragraph shall be designed so as not to require recipients of transitional CalWORKs benefits to take time off from work or travel to the county welfare office, in order to maximize participation of eligible households.  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.