AB 8

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states, with California's version of this program being known as the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program. Existing law provides for the CalWORKs program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals who meet specified eligibility criteria. Existing law requires, with certain exceptions, that an individual participate in work activities, as defined, in order to remain eligible for CalWORKs benefits. Existing law requires each county to redetermine eligibility for CalWORKs funds on an annual basis. This bill would require the county, commencing July 1, 2011, and with specified exceptions, to conduct a self-sufficiency review for CalWORKs recipients, with specified exceptions. The bill would require the county to provide the department with an evaluation of the implementation of the self-sufficiency reviews and would require those evaluations to be sent to the Legislature upon receipt from all counties. Because this bill would impose additional requirements on the counties, it would create a state-mandated local program. Under existing law, when an individual fails or refuses to comply with specified components of the CalWORKs program without good cause, the individual is subject to prescribed financial sanctions. Existing law, with certain exceptions, requires removal of a CalWORKs participant after he or she has received aid for a total of 60 months. This bill would revise procedures for imposing sanctions on specified families receiving cash assistance and other services under the CalWORKs program, by including reductions, at specified intervals, in the grant amount of a family that includes a noncompliant individual, with a maximum grant reduction of 50% of the child-only grant amount. The bill would require a county to review and assess the circumstances of a noncompliant recipient, as specified, in order to determine whether the specified sanctions should be continued. It would also impose various notice and outreach requirements on counties in connection with the imposition of these monetary sanctions. The bill would make the revised sanction provisions operative on July 1, 2011. By imposing additional duties on counties, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. This bill would provide that computation of the 60-month limit on cash assistance would include a month in which an individual is on sanction status, except with respect to the receipt of designated welfare-to-work services. This bill would revise the time limits applicable for receipt of aid with respect to adults in assistance units that begin receiving aid on and after July 1, 2011, to provide that the adult may not receive aid for more than 48 cumulative months in any 60-month period. The bill would authorize the adult's return to the assistance unit 12 months after receiving aid for the 48 cumulative months. In the absence of a sanction, the bill would require the assistance unit's full grant to be restored when the adult returns to the assistance unit. Existing law establishes maximum aid grant amounts to be provided under the CalWORKs program, and provides, with certain exceptions, including the 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10 fiscal years for an annual cost-of-living adjustment to be made in the maximum aid payments provided to needy families under the program. This bill would, for each fiscal year commencing with the 2010–11 fiscal year, prohibit any cost-of-living adjustment from being made unless otherwise specified by statute. Existing law provides for the State Supplementary Program for the Aged, Blind and Disabled (SSP) , which requires the State Department of Social Services to contract with the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services to make payments to SSP recipients to supplement Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments made available pursuant to the federal Social Security Act. Under existing law, benefit payments under the SSP are calculated by establishing the maximum level of nonexempt income and federal SSI and state SSP benefits for each category of eligible recipient. The state SSP payment is the amount, when added to the nonexempt income and SSI benefits available to the recipient, which would be required to provide the maximum benefit payment. Existing state law provides, except in certain calendar years, including the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 calendar years, for the annual adjustment of the total level of combined state and federal benefits as established by statutory schedule to reflect changes in the cost of living, as defined, except that in any calendar year in which no cost-of-living adjustment is made to the payment schedules, there shall be a pass along of any cost-of-living increase in federal SSI benefits. This bill would, for each calendar year, commencing with the 2011 calendar year, prohibit any cost-of-living adjustment from being made unless otherwise specified by statute, except for the pass along of any cost-of-living increase in the federal SSI benefits. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to collaborate with specified stakeholders on the implementation of the CalWORKs provisions of the bill. This bill would provide for the implementation of the CalWORKs provisions of the bill through all-county letters or similar instructions, and would provide for the adoption of emergency regulations by April 1, 2011. 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 California Constitution authorizes the Governor to declare a fiscal emergency and to call the Legislature into special session for that purpose. The Governor issued a proclamation declaring a fiscal emergency, and calling a special session for this purpose, on July 1, 2009. This bill would state that it addresses the fiscal emergency declared by the Governor by proclamation issued on July 1, 2009, pursuant to the California Constitution.