CA AB 866

Title: Food assistance for nonminor dependents.
Author: Blanca E. Rubio

Summary
AB 866, as amended, Blanca Rubio. Food assistance for nonminor dependents. Existing federal law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh, under which nutrition assistance benefits are distributed to eligible individuals by the counties. Existing law establishes eligibility and benefit level requirements for receipt of CalFresh benefits.Existing law establishes the Aid to Families with Dependent Children-Foster Care (AFDC-FC) program, under which counties provide payments to foster care providers on behalf of qualified children in foster care. The program is funded by a combination of federal, state, and county funds. In order to be eligible for AFDC-FC, existing law requires a child or nonminor dependent to be placed in one of several specified placements, including, for nonminor dependents, a supervised independent living placement or a transitional living setting.This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to establish a state-funded food assistance program to provide assistance for a nonminor dependent, as defined, who is residing in a supervised independent living placement or a transitional living setting, as specified. The bill would require the program to utilize the existing CalFresh and electronic benefits transfer system infrastructure to implement the program, to the extent permissible under federal law. The bill would specify the amount of assistance a nonminor dependent would receive, based on whether or not the nonminor dependent is a custodial parent. The bill would authorize counties to screen the nonminor dependent for eligibility for CalFresh benefits and if the nonminor dependent is eligible for those benefits, the amount of assistance pursuant to the bill would be the difference between the nonminor dependent’s CalFresh payment and the maximum benefit allotted for their household size. The bill would terminate food assistance payments to the minor on the last day of the month in which the nonminor dependent no longer lives in a supervised independent living placement or transitional living setting, as specified. The bill would require the department to work with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS) to develop and implement the necessary system changes to implement its provisions, and would require the payment to be automated on the later of January 1, 2025, or the date the department notifies the Legislature that CalSAWS can perform the necessary automation. By increasing county duties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize the State Department of Social Services to implement and administer its provisions through all-county letters or similar instructions without taking regulatory action until final regulations are adopted, as specified.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.

Status
In committee: Held under submission.

Bill Documents
CA AB 866 - 05/18/23 - Amended Assembly
05/18/23 - CA AB 866 (05/18/23 - Amended Assembly)