SB 1232: CalWORKs and CalFresh: eligibility determinations.

Existing federal law provides for the 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 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 federal law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, under which nutrition assistance benefits are allocated to each state by the federal government. Under existing state law, the CalFresh program, Californias federal allocation is distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing law requires that the eligibility of households be determined to the extent permitted by federal law, and requires the State Department of Social Services to establish a program of categorical eligibility for CalFresh in accordance with federal law. Existing law requires each county human services agency to carry out the local administrative responsibilities of this program, subject to the supervision of the department and to rules and regulations adopted by the department.

This bill would require a county human services agency that elects to use information contained in a consumer credit report for the determination of CalWORKs or CalFresh eligibility or benefit level to obtain written authorization from the applicant or recipient prior to obtaining the credit report and, if the county takes an adverse action against an applicant or recipient, to provide the applicant or recipient with a specified notice indicating that the verification or eligibility determination was based, in whole or in part, upon the information contained in the consumer credit report. The bill would also prohibit the county from requiring the applicant or recipient to submit hard-copy documentation that is duplicative of the information it will verify using the credit report.