Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program and other social services programs, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals.
Existing law permits an applicant or recipient of benefits under the CalWORKs program to retain countable resources in an amount equal to the amount permitted under federal law for qualification for food stamps, and requires each county to determine the value of personal property and automobiles in conformance with methods established under the Food Stamp Program.
This bill would specify the method of determining the value of an automobile for purposes of determining those resources that may be retained by the applicant or recipient.
By increasing amounts of income and resources that will not be considered in determining CalWORKs recipient eligibility, the bill would increase the class of persons eligible for the CalWORKs program, and so would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program.
This bill would, instead, provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for the purpose of funding this motor vehicle exemption.
Existing law provides for the federal Food Stamp Program, under which each county distributes food stamps provided by the federal government to eligible households.
This bill would specify that rules governing the resource value of motor vehicles under the Food Stamp Program shall be aligned with an alternative program allowed under the federal Food Stamp Program. It would require the State Department of Social Services to seek any federal approvals necessary to implement this provision.
Existing law requires each county welfare department, to the maximum extent allowable under federal law, to provide transitional food stamp benefits to households terminating their participation in the CalWORKs program for a period of 5 months, as specified.
This bill would eliminate the 5-month limitation on providing those transitional food stamp benefits. The imposition of this new requirement on counties would create a state-mandated local program.
Existing federal law establishes procedures for establishing eligibility under the federal Food Stamp Program, including the use of face-to-face interviews.
This bill would require each county welfare department, to the extent permitted by federal law, and except for good cause, to exempt a household from complying with face-to-face interview requirements at initial application and recertification but would permit a person eligible for an exemption from the face-to-face interview requirement to request a face-to-face interview to establish initial eligibility or comply with recertification requirements.
Existing law requires the department and the California Health and Human Services Agency Data Center to design, implement, and maintain a statewide fingerprint imaging system for use in connection with the determination of eligibility for benefits under the Food Stamp Program and other social services programs.
This bill would delete this requirement.
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, including the creation of a State Mandates Claims Fund to pay the costs of mandates that do not exceed $1,000,000 statewide and other procedures for claims whose statewide costs exceed $1,000,000.
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.