CA AB 310

Title: CalWORKs.
Author: Joaquin Arambula

Summary
AB 310, as amended, Arambula. CalWORKs. 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 establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which, through a combination of state and county funds and federal funds received through the TANF program, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Existing law imposes various eligibility requirements for the CalWORKs program, including that a child is deprived of parental support or care, a child has received all age-appropriate immunizations, and specified applicants or recipients who are apparently eligible for unemployment insurance shall meet the conditions of eligibility for and accept any unemployment insurance benefits for which they are eligible.This bill would, among other things, repeal the parental deprivation and immunization requirements, and would instead only require that those specified applicants and recipients whom the county has evidence that they are eligible for unemployment insurance to apply for, but not meet the conditions of, unemployment insurance benefits. By expanding eligibility for the CalWORKs program, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.Existing law generally requires a recipient of CalWORKs benefits to participate in welfare-to-work activities as a condition of eligibility for aid, except if they are exempt or excused from participation for good cause. Existing law requires a participant to enter into a written welfare-to-work plan with the county, and specifies the work activities that may be included in a participant’s plan, including mental health, substance abuse, and domestic violence services that are necessary to obtain and retain employment. Existing law also requires participants to participate in job search activities for a period of up to 4 consecutive weeks, as specified. This bill would, among other things, revise and recast the welfare-to-work program, by renaming it as the family assistance program, repealing the provision that makes participation in work activities a condition of eligibility for CalWORKs aid, and instead requiring that every recipient be provided with an opportunity to participate in family assistance activities. The bill would expand the list of work activities by including home visiting services and financial literacy classes and coaching that are necessary to obtain and retain employment or improve family or financial well-being, activities that develop and enhance workplace skills, and activities that build foundations for employment, as specified. The bill would repeal the job search requirements. The bill would require a county to provide the participant with a plan form within 60 days after the date that a participant’s eligibility for aid is determined or the date the participant chooses to participate in work activities wherein the recipient may select the activities and the number of hours they want to participate in, including any and all available support services. By increasing the duties of counties administering the CalWORKs program, the bill would impose 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, and conciliation efforts have failed, the individual is subject to a financial sanction that requires the family’s grant to be reduced by removing the noncomplying family member from the assistance unit. Existing law prohibits sanctions from being applied for a failure or refusal to comply with program requirements if, among other reasons, the employment, offer of employment, activity, or other training, or for employment discriminates on specified bases or involves conditions that are in violation of applicable health and safety standards, among other

Status
In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

Bill Documents
CA AB 310 - 03/23/23 - Amended Assembly
03/23/23 - CA AB 310 (03/23/23 - Amended Assembly)