AB 643

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing law establishes a statewide program to enable eligible low-income persons to receive food stamps under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , formerly the Food Stamp Program. Existing law requires counties to implement the program, including determining eligibility and distributing food stamps. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under which qualified low-income persons are provided with health care services. Under existing law, a recipient of aid, as defined, who is changing residence from one county to another within the state is required to promptly notify the county paying aid to the recipient of the move, and to apply for a redetermination of eligibility within the new county of residence. Existing law imposes various requirements on the relevant counties, including requiring the county to which the recipient has moved to determine the recipient's continued eligibility for payment of aid and, to the extent possible, the recipient's eligibility for the Medi-Cal program. This bill would, beginning on July 1, 2010, for households receiving benefits under SNAP and the CalWORKs program or the Medi-Cal program, or both, and on January 1, 2011, for all other households receiving benefits under SNAP, specify that aid, for purposes of the provisions relating to a recipient's change of residence, includes benefits under SNAP. To the extent that it would increase the duties of county officials that administer public aid programs, including the Medi-Cal program and the federal 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.