SB 521

Bill Subjects

Abstract

Existing federal law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , formerly the Food Stamp Program, under which nutrition assistance benefits, formerly referred to as food stamps, are allocated to each state by the federal government. That program, as administered in California, is known as CalFresh. Under existing state law, pursuant to CalFresh, California's federal allocation is distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing law establishes eligibility and benefit level requirements for receipt of CalFresh benefits. Existing law authorizes counties to participate in the CalFresh Employment and Training (CalFresh E&T) program, established with the purpose of assisting members of CalFresh households to obtain regular employment, and requires participating counties to screen CalFresh work registrants to determine whether they will participate in, or be exempt from, the CalFresh E&T program. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services to request a waiver from the federal government to allow county human services agencies to serve CalFresh E&T recipients for up to 5 months, to match the length of services of transitional CalFresh benefits. By imposing additional duties on local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would require the department, in order to improve employment opportunities and increase wages of CalFresh recipients by increasing access to adult and postsecondary education and vocational training programs at California community colleges, annually issue guidance through all county letters for county human services agencies wishing to partner with a community college in the administration of its CalFresh E&T program, as specified. Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states. Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program for the allocation of federal funds received through the TANF program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. 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. This bill would provide that when a CalWORKs recipient has been sanctioned due to noncompliance with his or her welfare-to-work plan, the recipient shall not be assigned a CalFresh penalty until the county has determined that the individual does not qualify for an exemption to the CalFresh work requirement and has not registered for work, the county has notified the recipient that the recipient is not eligible for an exemption, and has instructed the recipient about how to comply with the requirements or verify an exemption to the CalFresh work requirements. The bill would also require that if the CalFresh recipient complies with the requirement during the notice of adverse action period and has registered for work with the Employment Development Department, the proposed penalty would be canceled and would not count as an occurrence for the purposes of determining the length of future CalFresh disqualification periods. By imposing additional duties on local agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the CalFresh E&T program to be included in the state's Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act state plan in order to improve coordination between established workforce training programs. 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.