California 2017 2017-2018 Regular Session

California Assembly Bill AB2030 Introduced / Bill

Filed 02/05/2018

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20172018 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 2030Introduced by Assembly Member LimnFebruary 05, 2018 An act to add Sections 11051 and 11262 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to CalWORKs. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAB 2030, as introduced, Limn. CalWORKs: accommodations.Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states. Californias version of this program is CalWORKs. Under the CalWORKs program, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits, through a combination of state and county funds and federal funds received through the TANF program, to qualified low-income families and individuals who meet specified eligibility criteria.Under the CalWORKs program, recipients are required to participate in specified welfare-to-work activities, unless an exception applies. Existing law prohibits medically disabled individuals, as specified, from being required to participate in welfare-to-work activities for so long as the condition continues to exist. Existing law requires that an applicant or recipient be excused from participation in welfare-to-work activities for good cause when the county determines that the applicant or recipient is a victim of domestic violence, as specified. Existing law also authorizes specified supportive services and accommodations for applicants and recipients who are victims of domestic violence or who are experiencing specified conditions, including emotional, mental, or developmental disabilities.Existing law requires applications for CalWORKs to be made to the county welfare department of the county in which the applicant is living. Existing law authorizes applications to be made in writing or upon the standard form prescribed in regulations of the Department of Social Services. Existing law also requires counties to redetermine the eligibility and grant amounts of a CalWORKs recipient on a semiannual basis through the submission of a semiannual report form.This bill would require the Department of Social Services to include questions regarding an applicants need for accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in any amendment or revision to the CalWORKs standard form for initial applications or the semiannual report form adopted on or after January 1, 2019. The bill would also require, if an applicant or recipient requires an accommodation, the county welfare department to include a notice on the first page of the applicant or recipients file to inform the applicant or recipients caseworker of his or her need for accommodation. By imposing new duties on county welfare departments, 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 the statutory provisions noted above.Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill TextThe people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 11051 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:11051. (a) The department shall include questions regarding the applicants need for accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in any amendment or revision adopted on or after January 1, 2019, to the standard form for initial applications described in Section 11050.(b) If an applicant requires an accommodation due to disability or domestic violence, the county welfare department shall include a notice on the first page of the applicants file to inform the applicants caseworker of his or her need for accommodation.SEC. 2. Section 11262 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:11262. (a) The department shall include questions regarding a recipients need for accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in any amendment or revision adopted on or after January 1, 2019, to the semiannual report form described in Section 11265.1.(b) If a recipient indicates that he or she requires an accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in the semiannual report form, the county welfare department shall include a notice on the first page of the recipients file to inform the recipients caseworker of his or her need for accommodation.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.

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20172018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill No. 2030

Introduced by Assembly Member LimnFebruary 05, 2018

Introduced by Assembly Member Limn
February 05, 2018

An act to add Sections 11051 and 11262 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to CalWORKs.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2030, as introduced, Limn. CalWORKs: accommodations.

Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states. Californias version of this program is CalWORKs. Under the CalWORKs program, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits, through a combination of state and county funds and federal funds received through the TANF program, to qualified low-income families and individuals who meet specified eligibility criteria.Under the CalWORKs program, recipients are required to participate in specified welfare-to-work activities, unless an exception applies. Existing law prohibits medically disabled individuals, as specified, from being required to participate in welfare-to-work activities for so long as the condition continues to exist. Existing law requires that an applicant or recipient be excused from participation in welfare-to-work activities for good cause when the county determines that the applicant or recipient is a victim of domestic violence, as specified. Existing law also authorizes specified supportive services and accommodations for applicants and recipients who are victims of domestic violence or who are experiencing specified conditions, including emotional, mental, or developmental disabilities.Existing law requires applications for CalWORKs to be made to the county welfare department of the county in which the applicant is living. Existing law authorizes applications to be made in writing or upon the standard form prescribed in regulations of the Department of Social Services. Existing law also requires counties to redetermine the eligibility and grant amounts of a CalWORKs recipient on a semiannual basis through the submission of a semiannual report form.This bill would require the Department of Social Services to include questions regarding an applicants need for accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in any amendment or revision to the CalWORKs standard form for initial applications or the semiannual report form adopted on or after January 1, 2019. The bill would also require, if an applicant or recipient requires an accommodation, the county welfare department to include a notice on the first page of the applicant or recipients file to inform the applicant or recipients caseworker of his or her need for accommodation. By imposing new duties on county welfare departments, 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 the statutory provisions noted above.

Under the CalWORKs program, recipients are required to participate in specified welfare-to-work activities, unless an exception applies. Existing law prohibits medically disabled individuals, as specified, from being required to participate in welfare-to-work activities for so long as the condition continues to exist. Existing law requires that an applicant or recipient be excused from participation in welfare-to-work activities for good cause when the county determines that the applicant or recipient is a victim of domestic violence, as specified. Existing law also authorizes specified supportive services and accommodations for applicants and recipients who are victims of domestic violence or who are experiencing specified conditions, including emotional, mental, or developmental disabilities.

Existing law requires applications for CalWORKs to be made to the county welfare department of the county in which the applicant is living. Existing law authorizes applications to be made in writing or upon the standard form prescribed in regulations of the Department of Social Services. Existing law also requires counties to redetermine the eligibility and grant amounts of a CalWORKs recipient on a semiannual basis through the submission of a semiannual report form.

This bill would require the Department of Social Services to include questions regarding an applicants need for accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in any amendment or revision to the CalWORKs standard form for initial applications or the semiannual report form adopted on or after January 1, 2019. The bill would also require, if an applicant or recipient requires an accommodation, the county welfare department to include a notice on the first page of the applicant or recipients file to inform the applicant or recipients caseworker of his or her need for accommodation. By imposing new duties on county welfare departments, 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 the statutory provisions noted above.

## Digest Key

## Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:SECTION 1. Section 11051 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:11051. (a) The department shall include questions regarding the applicants need for accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in any amendment or revision adopted on or after January 1, 2019, to the standard form for initial applications described in Section 11050.(b) If an applicant requires an accommodation due to disability or domestic violence, the county welfare department shall include a notice on the first page of the applicants file to inform the applicants caseworker of his or her need for accommodation.SEC. 2. Section 11262 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:11262. (a) The department shall include questions regarding a recipients need for accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in any amendment or revision adopted on or after January 1, 2019, to the semiannual report form described in Section 11265.1.(b) If a recipient indicates that he or she requires an accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in the semiannual report form, the county welfare department shall include a notice on the first page of the recipients file to inform the recipients caseworker of his or her need for accommodation.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.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

## The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 11051 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:11051. (a) The department shall include questions regarding the applicants need for accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in any amendment or revision adopted on or after January 1, 2019, to the standard form for initial applications described in Section 11050.(b) If an applicant requires an accommodation due to disability or domestic violence, the county welfare department shall include a notice on the first page of the applicants file to inform the applicants caseworker of his or her need for accommodation.

SECTION 1. Section 11051 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

### SECTION 1.

11051. (a) The department shall include questions regarding the applicants need for accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in any amendment or revision adopted on or after January 1, 2019, to the standard form for initial applications described in Section 11050.(b) If an applicant requires an accommodation due to disability or domestic violence, the county welfare department shall include a notice on the first page of the applicants file to inform the applicants caseworker of his or her need for accommodation.

(b) If an applicant requires an accommodation due to disability or domestic violence, the county welfare department shall include a notice on the first page of the applicants file to inform the applicants caseworker of his or her need for accommodation.

SEC. 2. Section 11262 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:11262. (a) The department shall include questions regarding a recipients need for accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in any amendment or revision adopted on or after January 1, 2019, to the semiannual report form described in Section 11265.1.(b) If a recipient indicates that he or she requires an accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in the semiannual report form, the county welfare department shall include a notice on the first page of the recipients file to inform the recipients caseworker of his or her need for accommodation.

SEC. 2. Section 11262 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

### SEC. 2.

11262. (a) The department shall include questions regarding a recipients need for accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in any amendment or revision adopted on or after January 1, 2019, to the semiannual report form described in Section 11265.1.(b) If a recipient indicates that he or she requires an accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in the semiannual report form, the county welfare department shall include a notice on the first page of the recipients file to inform the recipients caseworker of his or her need for accommodation.

(b) If a recipient indicates that he or she requires an accommodation due to disability or domestic violence in the semiannual report form, the county welfare department shall include a notice on the first page of the recipients file to inform the recipients caseworker of his or her need for accommodation.

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.

### SEC. 3.