Existing law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing federal law requires that a child receiving benefits under SNAP be certified as eligible for free school lunches and breakfasts without further application. Existing law requires a county welfare department to compile a list of emergency food providers and make that list available upon request.

This bill would instead require a county human services agency to compile a list of emergency and supplemental food assistance providers, as specified. The bill would also require a county human services agency to inform households applying for CalFresh that if the household is certified for CalFresh, specified children in the household are income-eligible for the WIC Program and all children in the household are directly certified for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program without further application. The bill would also require the Department of Social Services to inform all CalFresh households annually, prior to the end of the school year, about the summer meal program using information the department receives the State Department of Education and a method deemed appropriate by the department. The bill would require the department to implement these provisions by all-county letters or similar instructions beginning no later than March 1, 2016, until regulations are adopted, and would require the department to adopt regulations on or before October 1, 2017. The bill would also include a statement of legislative findings and declarations.

By increasing the duties of county human services agencies, the 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.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair

2015 - 2016 Regular Session

AB 608 (Gordon) - CalFresh: school meals

This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.

Bill Summary:

AB 608 would require county human services agencies to add additional information to the list of food providers to be made available to families applying for CalFresh benefits. This bill additionally requires counties to inform applicants that, if the household is approved for CalFresh benefits, young children are income eligible for the WIC Program and that all children in the household are directly certified for free and reduced school meals. This bill also requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) to inform all CalFresh households annually about the summer meal program, as specified.

Fiscal Impact:

• Likely minor state-reimbursable county administrative costs (General Fund) to add providers to, and update, food provider and nutrition assistance program lists.

• Potential one-time automation costs (General Fund) to revise the Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS) to the extent counties print and distribute the updated list of food service providers and summer meal program information to each applicant through SAWS.

• Potentially significant state-reimbursable county administrative costs in the range of $440,000 to $585,000 (General Fund) per year to inform CalFresh households prior to the end of each school year about the summer meal program and provide food service provider and nutrition program information. This estimate includes the cost of printing and mailing of this information, and assumes DSS would delegate the notification requirement to the counties, as client addresses are not maintained at the state level.

• Potentially significant ongoing state-reimbursable county administrative costs (General Fund) to inform all CalFresh applicants of income eligibility for WIC and direct certification for free and reduced school meals. Based on nearly 2 million CalFresh applications received annually, providing even one additional minute of eligibility worker time would cost nearly $1.9 million annually. This estimate assumes many counties utilize the option of waiving the face-to-face interview and instead provide a telephone interview in which case the informing would have to be provided verbally in lieu of providing the information in written format. To the extent a document is mailed in lieu of information provided over the phone would also incur administrative resources and mailing costs.

• Potentially significant increase in federal WIC Program (Federal) and National School Lunch Program/School Breakfast Program (NSLP/SBP) benefits (Federal/General Fund) to the extent the mandated county human services agency efforts result in increased enrollment in these programs.

Background:

Existing state law requires each county welfare department to compile a list of emergency food providers in the area served by the local CalFresh office. Existing law requires this list to be made available upon request and may be used to refer individuals to emergency food assistance sites.

The federal WIC Program seeks to serve low-income, nutritionally at risk pregnant women, breastfeeding women, infants and children up to their fifth birthday. WIC benefits include supplemental nutritious foods, nutrition education and counseling at WIC clinics, and screening and referrals to other health, welfare, and social services. WIC is not an entitlement program as Congress does not set aside funds to allow every eligible individual to participate in the program. Rather, WIC is a federal grant program for which Congress authorizes a specific amount of funds each year for the program. The FFY 2014 grant to California of $1.2 billion included $878 million for food and $328 million for nutrition services and administration. As of March 2013, the WIC Program served 8.6 million participants and provided an average benefit of $42.57 per month. Families who are eligible for SNAP (CalFresh in California), Medi-Cal, or TANF benefits are automatically income-eligible for WIC benefits.

The NSLP is a federally assisted meal program operating in over 100,000 public and nonprofit private schools and residential care institutions. It is estimated that over 552 million nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches will be provided to more than 31 million children in 2015-16. In 1998, Congress expanded the NSLP to include reimbursement for snacks served to children in after-school educational and enrichment programs to include children through 18 years of age. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the program at the federal level. At the state level, the NSLP is administered by CDE, which operates the program through agreements with school food authorities.

The SBP provides cash assistance to states to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions. The FNS administers the SBP at the federal level, CDE administers the SBP at the state level, and local school food authorities operate the program in schools. Most of the support USDA provides to schools in the School Breakfast Program comes in the form of a cash reimbursement for each breakfast served. The current basic cash reimbursement rates (through June 30, 2015) for non-severe need are: Free breakfast-$1.62, reduced-price breakfast-$1.32, paid breakfasts-$0.28. Schools may qualify for higher "severe need" reimbursements if 40 percent or more of their lunches are served free or at a reduced price in the second preceding year.

Existing federal law provides that any child who is eligible for federal SNAP benefits (CalFresh benefits in California) is automatically certified to receive free school meals without an additional application (7 U.S.C. § 2020(u)(2)(A)).

Proposed Law:

This bill:

• Requires additional providers to be added to the list of food assistance providers currently compiled by county human services agencies.

• Requires the list to be updated based on information a county human services agency receives from various entities including the WIC Program, CDE, cities, school districts, and summer lunch providers, and requires the list to be made available to all households applying for CalFresh benefits, rather than only upon request.

• Requires a county human services agency to inform households applying for CalFresh that, if the household is certified for CalFresh, children under five years of age in the household are income-eligible for the WIC Program, and all children in the household are directly certified for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program without further application, as specified.

• Requires DSS to inform all CalFresh households annually, prior to the end of the school year, about the summer meal program using information the department receives from the CDE and a method deemed appropriate by the department.

• Requires DSS to implement the change through all-county letters or similar instructions beginning no later than March 1, 2016, until regulations are adopted and to adopt regulations implementing this act on or before October 1, 2017.

Related Legislation:

AB 2115 (Bradford) 2014 was similar but broader in scope than this measure. This bill was held on the Suspense File of this Committee.

Staff Comments:

By increasing the duties of county human services agencies, this bill imposes a state-mandated local program, the costs of which could require a General Fund subvention of funds should county agencies submit claims and the Commission on State Mandates (CSM) determines the provisions of this measure constitute a reimbursable state mandate.

While many county human services agencies may already be informing applicants and providing the information specified in this bill, by mandating the activities specifically in statute, county human service agencies could potentially file claims for reimbursement for these administrative costs.

Based on the data from the CalFresh Monthly Caseload Movement Report (DFA 296), nearly two million CalFresh applications are received annually. Providing even one additional minute of eligibility worker time, based on an estimated eligibility worker cost of $57.57 per hour, would cost over $1.9 million annually. This estimate assumes many counties utilize the option of waiving the face-to-face interview and instead provide a telephone interview in which case the informing would have to be provided verbally in lieu of via a written document. Because it is unknown at this time how the CSM would interpret the requirement “to inform” households of this eligibility, the amount of time incurred by eligibility workers that will be eligible for reimbursement cannot be known with certainty. To the extent a document is mailed in lieu of information provided over the phone would also incur administrative resources and mailing costs.

The costs to counties to update and add providers to food assistance provider lists, while potentially state-reimbursable, are estimated to be minor.

This bill requires the DSS to inform all CalFresh households annually, prior to the end of the school year, about the summer meal program using a method deemed appropriate by the department. The DSS has indicated the department itself would not send information to CalFresh households, as addresses of clients are not kept at the state level. It is anticipated this information would be sent by the counties. The estimated printing and mailing costs to send out one mailer to each of 719,000 CalFresh households with school-aged children is approximately $440,000 per year. As the bill requires this information to be sent to all CalFresh households, however, costs could be as high as $585,000 per year.

The DSS has also indicated that while the bill directs counties to update the directory of emergency food service providers and provide it to each applicant, the printing and distribution to each client will likely be done through SAWS, which could require programming changes. At this time, the extent of the automation changes is unknown and it is not known whether the additional costs can be absorbed within the existing maintenance and operations budget or if new funding would be required. 

To the extent the mandated county efforts result in increased enrollment in these food assistance programs, could result in a significant increase in federal WIC Program (Federal) and NSLSB Program (Federal/State) benefits which would assist families access these critical programs aimed at reducing the incidence of food insecurity among low-income Californians.

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SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Senator McGuire, Chair

2015 - 2016 Regular

Bill No: AB 608

Subject: CalFresh: school meals.

SUMMARY

This bill adds specificity to the list of food programs required be compiled and made available by counties and directs that the list be distributed to families applying for CalFresh benefits. It additionally requires counties to inform applicants that, if the household is approved for CalFresh benefits, young children are income eligible for the WIC Program and that all children in the household are directly certified for free and reduced school meals. This bill also requires the Department of Social Services (CDSS) to inform all CalFresh households annually about the summer meal program, as specified.

ABSTRACT

Existing law:

1. Establishes under federal law the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is administered in California through the CalFresh Program to low-income families and individuals meeting specified criteria. (WIC 18900 et seq.)

2. Establishes, under federal law, eligibility requirements for receipt of SNAP benefits, including income that is at or below 130 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and is determined to be a substantial limiting factor in permitting a recipient to obtain a more nutritious diet, as specified. (7 CFR 273.9)

3. Establishes the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC Program) in federal and state statute with the goal of providing positive health outcomes to children who are at nutritional risk. (7 CFR Section 246.7, HSC 123280)

4. Provides that any child who is eligible for federal SNAP benefits is automatically certified to receive free school meals without an additional application. (7 U.S.C. 2020(u)(2)(A))

5. Requires a CalFresh application to be processed within 30 days from the date of application, and requires county welfare departments to make information related to expedited CalFresh benefits, as specified, available to each applicant upon an initial application for CalFresh. (WIC 18911 (a-c))

6. Requires each county welfare department to compile a list of emergency food providers in the area served by the CalFresh office. Requires the list to be made available upon request and may be used to refer individuals to emergency food assistance sites. (WIC 18911 (e))

This bill:

1. States a series of Legislative findings and declarations about food insecurity, including:

• Over 2 million children in California live in low-income families and are in danger of experiencing hunger.

• California is home to more children living in poverty than any other state in the country.

• Child development experts have found that even one incidence of hunger can impact a child’s health and future academic success.

• Research conducted in California has found that most families do not apply for public assistance until they are already experiencing hardship from unmet basic needs.

• Federal law requires states to directly certify children in a CalFresh household for the National School Lunch Program and state law requires all public schools, except charter schools, to serve a free or reduced-price school meal during the school day.

• In California, the process for a family with children to be directly certified can take up to three months and a school meal may not be received through direct certification while a CalFresh application is pending.

• During the summer months, child hunger increases with the absence of school meals and the lack of information about summer lunch programs for children.

• It is the intent of the Legislature to reduce opportunities for children to go hungry by requiring increased coordination between CalFresh and child nutrition programs administered by the State Department of Education.

2. Adds to the required list of emergency food providers created by a county human service agency, supplemental food assistance providers, including local nutrition assistance programs, as specified.

3. Requires that the list be updated based on information that the county human service agency is provided from emergency and supplemental food assistance providers, cities, school districts, summer lunch providers, the California Department of Education, and the WIC Program.

3. Requires that the list be made available to households applying for CalFresh.

3. Requires a county human services agency to inform households applying for CalFresh that, if the household is certified for CalFresh, children under five years of age in the household are income-eligible for the WIC Program, and all children in the household are directly certified for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program without further application, as specified.

3. Requires CDSS to inform all CalFresh households annually, prior to the end of the school year, about the summer meal program using information the department receives from the state Department of Education and a method deemed appropriate by the department.

3. Requires CDSS to implement the change through all-county letters or similar instructions beginning no later than March 1, 2016, until regulations are adopted and to adopt regulations implementing this act on or before October 1, 2017.

FISCAL IMPACT

An analysis by the Assembly Appropriations Committee identified likely minor state-reimbursable local costs (GF) for counties to update their emergency food provider lists and provide information to applicant families with children.

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

Purpose of the bill:

According to the author, research has identified multiple negative effects of childhood hunger. Children who experience even one episode of hunger are more likely to incur development impairments that limit their physical, intellectual and emotional growth, the author states. A CalFresh application is required to be processed within 30 days, but the author notes that 30 days can be a long time to wait for a child to receive hunger relief. Additionally, the author states that more than one-third of applicants for CalFresh are denied nutritional benefits, and roughly 80 percent of those families may have children who qualify for free and reduced school meals or a Summer Lunch program.

This bill would help to close this gap by informing families with children about child nutrition programs that they are eligible for while their CalFresh application is pending so that no child goes hungry, the author writes.

Food Insecurity

According to data from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research's California Health Interview Survey, at least 4 million low-income Californians struggled with food insecurity during 2011-12. Researchers find that food-insecure adults face higher risks of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and depression and poor mental health. In a 2012 Gallup poll, one in 5.5 people surveyed, or 18.2 percent, answered affirmatively the question: “Have there been times in the past twelve months when you did not have enough money to buy food that you or your family needed?”

CalFresh

Administered in California as CalFresh, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) SNAP program funds 100 percent of food benefits to eligible households nationwide. The state, counties and federal government share the cost of administering the program. The maximum gross income allowed to be eligible is 130 percent of the federal poverty level, or $26,117 for a family of four in 2015. An average monthly benefit for a CalFresh recipient in 2014 was $141.99 per month, or $4.73 per day.

More than 1 million Californians were added to the CalFresh caseload between 2010 and 2013, at the peak of the Great Recession. Nonetheless, this state has been ranked last in the country for years in SNAP participation rates, prompting concerns from the USDA and two Legislative hearings in 2014, including a joint Senate and Assembly Human Services committee hearing on March 11. Just 57 percent of eligible individuals were enrolled in the program, compared to a national average of 79 percent in 2011. Only 44 percent of California’s eligible working poor families received CalFresh benefits, while the national average was 67 percent. Analysts have calculated that every $5 of federal SNAP benefits generates $9 of local economic activity.

WIC and Free and Reduced School Meal programs

California’s WIC Program is a federally-funded health and nutrition program for women, infants, and children. It provides funds to purchase healthy supplemental foods from WIC-authorized vendors, provides nutrition education, and offers help finding healthcare and other community services.  To receive benefits, pregnant women or mothers of children up to age five must meet income guidelines.  According to the California Department of Public Health, 84 WIC agencies provide services locally to more 1.45 million participants each month at more than 650 sites.

The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day.

Impact of safety net programs

A study published in May 2015 by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities concluded that safety net programs reduced the poverty rate from 29.1 percent to 13.8 percent in 2012 and lifted 48 million people above the poverty line, including 12 million children. Correcting for underreporting reveals that the safety net also did more to reduce deep poverty than previously shown, although 11.2 million Americans remained below half the poverty line. Researchers also identified SNAP, or CalFresh, as the most significant safety net program:

“Among programs limited to people with low or modest incomes, SNAP (formerly food stamps) has the greatest poverty-reducing impact, lifting 10.3 million people out of poverty in 2012. SNAP also lifts more Americans out of deep poverty (5.2 million) than any other means-tested program.”¹

Impact of poverty on children

In recent years, a number of researchers have documented the impact of poverty and deep poverty – those living at half the federal poverty level – on children. In 2011, Stanford University researchers recently published a study entitled “The Long Reach of Early Childhood Poverty,” which compared young children that had incomes of at least twice the poverty line during their early childhood with poor children and found that poor children completed two fewer years of schooling, earned less than half as much money, worked 451 fewer hours per year, received $826 per year more in food stamps, and are nearly three times as likely to report poor overall health. Poor men are more than twice as likely to be arrested.

Related legislation:

AB 2115 (Bradford, 2014) was substantially similar to this bill. It died in the Senate Appropriations Committee.

COMMENTS

This bill differs from AB 2115 in several ways:

• It removes the requirement for counties to provide information to CalFresh applicants about how to enroll children in the WIC and National School and Breakfast programs while the CalFresh application is pending application to a family who qualifies for the WIC program, and instead requires that families are told that they may qualify for those programs. This is intended to reduce the bill’s costs.

• It requires counties to make available to all CalFresh applicants the list of food and nutritional programs that the counties already compile, and removes the requirement that CalFresh applicants ask for the list in order to receive it.

• It requires CDSS to inform all CalFresh households annually, prior to the end of the school year, about summer meal programs, using the information it receives from the state Department of Education, in a manner to be determined by CDSS.

PRIOR VOTES

POSITIONS

Support:

Western Center on Law and Poverty (Sponsor)

California Association of Food Banks

California Catholic Conference Inc.

California State PTA

Courage Campaign

First 5 California

National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter

South County Collaborative

St. Joseph’s Family Center

Sunnyvale Community Services

3 Individuals.

Oppose:

California Department of Finance

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT

The Western Center on Law and Poverty, a co-sponsor of this bill, writes that while “more than one-third of applicant households are denied aid, the children in those homes may still qualify for the National School Lunch Program or a Summer Lunch site in their area. AB 608 helps bridge the gap between hungry bellies and federally funded meals for CalFresh applicant households by informing families with children about the child nutrition programs they are eligible to receive. The steps it takes to reduce the likelihood of child hunger by improving coordination between our publically funded child hunger relief programs are modest, but helpful.” Additionally, Western Center on Law and Poverty writes that CalFresh applicants may wait 30 days for their benefits to be approved and 60 days for direct certification into the free and reduced meal program. This bill will provide families with a list of resources to alleviate childhood hunger during that time.

ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION

The California Department of Finance writes that, while it finds “unknown but likely minor administrative costs for counties,” it finds the bill unnecessary because a list of emergency food providers and other resources currently is provided to CalFresh applicants, upon their request. It also notes that currently 97 percent of emergency and standard CalFresh applications are processed within the required 3 and 30 day application windows.

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Date of Hearing: April 22, 2015

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Jimmy Gomez, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 608

Author:(Gordon) – As Introduced Ver:February 24, 2015

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: Yes

SUMMARY:

This bill adds specific information about school-based nutrition programs and other programs intended to serve children to the information counties are required to provide to households applying for CalFresh benefits. Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires a county human services agency to compile a list of emergency and supplemental food providers, including local child feeding and summer feeding programs, and requires that list to be updated with information the county receives from emergency and supplemental food assistance providers, cities, school districts, summer lunch providers, the State Department of Education, and the California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program.

2. Requires that list to be made available to households applying for CalFresh and deletes the requirement for households to receive the information only upon request.

3. Requires the county human services agency to inform households applying for CalFresh that if the household is certified for CalFresh, any child under age five in the household is income-eligible for the WIC Program, and that all children in the household are directly certified for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program without further application.

4. Requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) to inform all CalFresh households annually, prior to the end of the school year, about the summer meal program, as specified.

FISCAL EFFECT:

Likely minor state-reimbursable local costs (GF) for counties to update their emergency food provider lists and provide information to applicant families with children.

COMMENTS:

Purpose. This bill seeks to make existing child nutrition programs more accessible to families with children by guaranteeing they receive information about existing programs, including application and eligibility requirements, upon seeking food assistance benefits at the county CalFresh office.

The author states, “According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, approximately 81% of households applying for CalFresh have children. Children in households determined eligible for CalFresh are also eligible for the National School Lunch Program. However, the application for CalFresh eligibility can take up to 30 days to process and, in the meantime, a child can go hungry. Additionally, many families do not know that their CalFresh certification can qualify them for the school meal program or how to apply for the program if their child is in need of a school day meal before their CalFresh eligibility is determined. This is especially true when a family’s change in circumstance, like loss of job or family illness, makes the family newly eligible after the school year begins. This bill would better inform households applying for CalFresh of resources. These important changes would provide struggling families with the ability to reduce the incidences of child hunger.”

Background: CalFresh benefits are funded entirely by the federal government through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets specific eligibility requirements for SNAP programs across the United States, including a gross and net income test, work requirements, and other documentation requirements. The maximum allowable gross income is 130% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Households with elderly or disabled members are not subject to gross income criteria but must have a net monthly income at or below 100% of the FPL. Other households must meet both gross and net monthly income tests. CalFresh is administered locally by county human services agencies, and the federal, state, and county governments share in the cost of administration of the program.

Public and non-profit private schools can choose to participate in the National School Breakfast and School Lunch Programs. Both programs provide schools with cash subsidies from the USDA for each meal served. Children from families who meet federal SNAP guidelines are eligible for free meals through the national school meals programs. If their household incomes are between 130% and 185% of the poverty level, they are eligible for reduced‐price meals, for which students can be charged no more than 40 cents.

Prior Legislation. AB 2115 (Bradford), 2014, was substantially similar to this bill. It was held on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Suspense File.

Analysis Prepared by: Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 14, 2015

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES

Kansen Chu, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 608

Author:(Gordon) – As Introduced Ver:February 24, 2015

SUBJECT: CalFresh: school meals

SUMMARY: Adds specific information about school-based nutrition programs and other programs intended to serve children to the information counties are required to provide to households applying for CalFresh benefits.

Specifically, this bill:

1. States a number of legislative findings pertaining to poverty among children in California, including the following:

   1. Over 2 million children in California live in low-income families and are in danger of experiencing hunger; and

   2. Child development experts have found that even one incidence of hunger can impact a child’s health and future academic success.

2. Declares the intent of the Legislature to reduce opportunities for children to go hungry by requiring increased coordination between CalFresh and child nutrition programs administered by the California Department of Education.

3. Clarifies that, in addition to providing certain written information pertaining to CalFresh, upon request, to community action agencies, legal services offices and emergency food programs, a county human services agency is also required to provide such information, upon request, to other community programs.

4. Requires a county human services agency to compile a list of emergency and supplemental food providers, including local child feeding and summer feeding programs, and requires that list to be updated with information the county receives from emergency and supplemental food assistance providers, cities, school districts, summer lunch providers, the State Department of Education, and the California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program.

5. Requires that list to be made available to households applying for CalFresh and deletes the requirement for households to receive the information only upon request.

6. Requires the county human services agency to inform households applying for CalFresh that if the household is certified for CalFresh, any child under age five in the household is income-eligible for the WIC Program, and that all children in the household are directly certified for the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program without further application.

7. Requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) to inform all CalFresh households annually, prior to the end of the school year, about the summer meal program, as specified.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes, under federal law, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), pursuant to the Food Stamp Act of 1964 and subsequent revisions, and establishes, in California law, the CalFresh program to administer the provision of federal SNAP benefits to low-income families and individuals meeting specified criteria. (WIC 18900 et seq.)

2. Establishes, under federal law, eligibility requirements for receipt of SNAP benefits, including income that is at or below 130% of the federal poverty level and is determined to be a substantial limiting factor in permitting a recipient to obtain a more nutritious diet, as specified. (7 CFR 273.9)

3. Provides that any child who is eligible for federal SNAP benefits is automatically certified to receive free school meals without an additional application. (7 CFR 245.6)

4. Provides that any child under age five who lives in a household that is eligible for federal SNAP benefits is also income-eligible for WIC Program benefits. (7 CFR 246.7)

5. Requires a CalFresh application to be processed within 30 days from the date of application, and requires county welfare departments to make information related to expedited CalFresh benefits, as specified, available to each applicant upon his or her initial application for CalFresh. (WIC 18911)

6. Requires each county welfare department to compile a list of emergency food providers in the area served by the CalFresh office, which shall be made available upon request and may be used to refer individuals to emergency food assistance sites. (WIC 18911)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

CalFresh: CalFresh benefits are funded entirely by the federal government through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets specific eligibility requirements for SNAP programs across the United States, including a gross and net income test, work requirements, and other documentation requirements. The maximum allowable gross income is 130% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). Households with elderly or disabled members are not subject to gross income criteria but must have a net monthly income at or below 100% of the FPL. Other households must meet both gross and net monthly income tests. CalFresh is administered locally by county human services agencies, and the federal, state, and county governments share in the cost of administration of the program.

Benefits are made available on a monthly basis for food purchase through an ATM-like electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card. However, unlike other types of benefits that may be accessed through an EBT card, CalFresh benefits cannot be withdrawn in cash at point-of-sale terminals or at ATM machines. CalFresh benefits can only be used to purchase food items to be prepared and consumed at home, as well as seeds and plants that can be grown at home and produce food. The average monthly benefit for a CalFresh recipient is $152.87 per month, or $5.10 per person per day, whereas the maximum monthly CalFresh benefit for a household of four is $649, or $5.41 per person per day.

CalFresh recipients are required to regularly provide personal information to the county office, including a home address, bank account, phone number, and employer information. This reporting requirement allows county offices to routinely check a recipient's household composition and financial information to verify validity and continued CalFresh eligibility. While most safety net programs rely on related family composition in order to determine eligibility for benefits, a CalFresh household is defined as a group of people who meet the income and resource eligibility criteria and live together, buy food, and prepare meals together. Fifty-seven percent of CalFresh recipients are children.

National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs: Public and non-profit private schools can choose to participate in the National School Breakfast and School Lunch Programs. Both programs provide schools with cash subsidies from the USDA for each meal served, provided the meals meet specified federal nutritional guidelines and are offered for free or at a reduced price to eligible children. Children from families who meet federal SNAP guidelines are eligible for free meals through the national school meals programs. If their household incomes are between 130% and 185% of the poverty level, they are eligible for reduced‐price meals, for which students can be charged no more than 30 cents per breakfast and 40 cents per lunch.

According to the USDA, in Fiscal Year 2014, 13.6 million children across the country participated in the National School Breakfast Program every day. Of those children, over 11 million received those breakfasts for free or at a reduced price. During that same fiscal year, 30.4 million children received their lunch each day through the National School Lunch Program, which included 21.7 million children who received their lunches for free or at a reduced price.

Hunger among Californians: Despite efforts to increase access to CalFresh nutrition assistance by reaching out to households that are eligible but not currently participating in the program, a number of California’s families still experience food insecurity, meaning they are unable to afford balanced meals and often cut the size of their meals or go hungry. Households experiencing food insecurity don’t have consistent access to enough food for healthy living due to a lack of money and other resources. Some families that constantly battle with food insecurity go without food for entire days, and parents in food-insecure households often report going without food themselves while ensuring their children have something to eat, though it may be very little. A national food security survey conducted in 2013 by the USDA Economic Research Service revealed that 14.3% of households were food-insecure at least some time during the year, including 5.6% with very low food security.

Numerous studies have documented the link between healthy eating and health. Adults who go hungry have been shown to have higher rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart conditions, as well as depression and other mental health challenges. Children who suffer from extreme poverty and hunger are found to fall behind in developmental milestones, experience worse health outcomes and increased hospitalizations, and have poorer economic outcomes as adults.

Need for this bill: This bill seeks to ensure children do not go hungry while a family’s CalFresh application is pending. While current law requires each county to compile a list of local food providers (e.g., food pantries, soup kitchens) for CalFresh applicants, there is no requirement for the list to include child nutrition programs. This bill requires counties to provide applicant households with updated information about local emergency and school-based food programs, and ensures households with children are aware of the children’s ability to receive food at school through the national school meals programs. While this bill does not increase eligibility for statewide or national nutrition programs, it seeks to make existing nutrition programs more accessible to eligible individuals who are hungry by guaranteeing they receive information about those existing programs.

According to statewide CalFresh data from the Department of Social Services, 96.7% of applications were processed within the required 30-day timeframe in the fourth quarter of 2014. While this means most applications were processed in a timely manner, this could still allow for up to a 30-day period during which a family that has reached out to the county for help does not have money to buy food. Additionally, this average is built on data from some counties meeting the 30-day requirement 100% of the time while other counties are not, without any indication as to the length of processing time for the additional applications that were not processed within the required timeframe.

The author states, “According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, approximately 81% of households applying for CalFresh have children. Children in households determined eligible for CalFresh are also eligible for the National School Lunch Program. However, the application for CalFresh eligibility can take up to 30 days to process and, in the meantime, a child can go hungry. Additionally, many families do not know that their CalFresh certification can qualify them for the school meal program or how to apply for the program if their child is in need of a school day meal before their CalFresh eligibility is determined. This is especially true when a family’s change in circumstance, like loss of job or family illness, makes the family newly eligible after the school year begins. This bill would better inform households applying for CalFresh of resources. These important changes would provide struggling families with the ability to reduce the incidences of child hunger.”

PRIOR LEGISLATION:

AB 2115 (Bradford), 2014, was substantially similar to this bill. It died on the Senate Appropriations Suspense File.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Alameda County Community Food Bank

California Association of Food Banks

California Catholic Conference of Bishops

California Diabetic Association (CDA)

California Dietetic Association (CDA)

California Food Policy Advocates

California Hunger Action Coalition (CHAC)

Coalition of California Welfare Rights Organizations, Inc.

Coalition of California Welfare Rights Organizations, Inc. (CCWRO)

Community Food and Justice Coalition

Feeding American San Diego

Hunger Advocacy Network

National Association of Social Workers (NASW-CA)

Western Center on Law and Poverty (sponsor) support

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Myesha Jackson / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089