AB 2637: CalWORKs: aid amounts: education support payments.
- Session Year: 2017-2018
- House: Assembly
- Latest Version Date: 2018-04-02
Existing law requires each county to provide cash assistance and other social services to needy families through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program using federal Temporary Assistance to for Needy Families block grant program, state, and county funds. Existing law specifies the amounts of cash aid to be paid each month to CalWORKs recipients. Existing law also establishes the CalWORKs Educational Opportunity and Attainment Program, which provides CalWORKs recipients with a one-time education incentive award of $500 for completion of a high school diploma or its equivalent.
Existing law establishes the Cal-Learn Program, under which a recipient of CalWORKs aid who is under 19 years of age, who is pregnant or a custodial parent, and who does not have a high school diploma or its equivalent is required to participate in the program as a student attending school on a full-time basis, except as specified. Existing law provides for a supplement to, or a reduction in, a Cal-Learn participants CalWORKs aid grant based on his or her performance in school. Existing law provides a Cal-Learn participant with a supplement of $500 for successful completion of high school or a California high school equivalency examination.
This bill, effective May 1, 2019, would make a child receiving CalWORKs aid who is not pregnant or parenting a child and person under 19 years of age who attains a high school diploma or its equivalent while receiving CalWORKs aid, and who is ineligible for the payment supplements under the Cal-Learn Program, eligible to receive a one-time education support payment of $500. By increasing the administrative duties of counties administering the CalWORKs program, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to implement this act the bill by all-county letters or similar instructions beginning no later than May 1, 2019, until regulations are adopted on or before May 1, 2021.
Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program.
This bill would provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill.
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.
Existing law requires each county to provide cash assistance and other social services to needy families through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program using federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families block grant program, state, and county funds. Existing law specifies the amounts of cash aid to be paid each month to CalWORKs recipients. Existing law also establishes the Educational Opportunity and Attainment Program, which provides CalWORKs recipients with a one-time education incentive award of $500 for completion of a high school diploma or its equivalent.
This bill, effective May 1, 2019, would make a child receiving CalWORKs aid who is not pregnant or parenting a child and who attains a high school diploma or its equivalent eligible to receive a one-time education support payment of $500. By increasing the administrative duties of counties administering the CalWORKs program, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to implement this act by all-county letters or similar instructions beginning no later than May 1, 2019, until regulations are adopted on or before May 1, 2021.
Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program.
This bill would provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill.
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.
(a)(1)(A)Aid shall be paid for each needy family, which shall include all eligible brothers and sisters of each eligible applicant or recipient child and the parents of the children, but shall not include unborn children, or recipients of aid under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12000), qualified for aid under this chapter. In determining the amount of aid paid, and notwithstanding the minimum basic standards of adequate care specified in Section 11452, the familys income, exclusive of any amounts considered exempt as income or paid pursuant to subdivision (e) or Section 11453.1, determined for the prospective semiannual period pursuant to Sections 11265.1, 11265.2, and 11265.3, and then calculated pursuant to Section 11451.5, shall be deducted from the sum specified in the following table, as adjusted for cost-of-living increases pursuant to Section 11453 and paragraph (2). In no case shall the amount of aid paid for each month exceed the sum specified in the following table, as adjusted for cost-of-living increases pursuant to Section 11453 and paragraph (2), plus any special needs, as specified in subdivisions (c), (e), and (f):
Number of | Maximum |
|---|---|
1 | $326 |
2 | 535 |
3 | 663 |
4 | 788 |
5 | 899 |
6 | 1,010 |
7 | 1,109 |
8 | 1,209 |
9 | 1,306 |
10 or more | 1,403 |
(B)If, when, and during those times that the United States government increases or decreases its contributions in assistance of needy children in this state above or below the amount paid on July 1, 1972, the amounts specified in the above table shall be increased or decreased by an amount equal to that increase or decrease by the United States government, provided that no increase or decrease shall be subject to subsequent adjustment pursuant to Section 11453.
(2)The sums specified in paragraph (1) shall not be adjusted for cost of living for the 199091, 199192, 199293, 199394, 199495, 199596, 199697, and 199798 fiscal years, and through October 31, 1998, nor shall that amount be included in the base for calculating any cost-of-living increases for any fiscal year thereafter. Elimination of the cost-of-living adjustment pursuant to this paragraph shall satisfy the requirements of former Section 11453.05, and no further reduction shall be made pursuant to that section.
(b)(1)When the family does not include a needy child qualified for aid under this chapter, aid shall be paid to a pregnant child who is 18 years of age or younger at any time after verification of pregnancy, in the amount that would otherwise be paid to one person, as specified in subdivision (a), if the child and her child, if born, would have qualified for aid under this chapter. Verification of pregnancy shall be required as a condition of eligibility for aid under this subdivision.
(2)Notwithstanding paragraph (1), when the family does not include a needy child qualified for aid under this chapter, aid shall be paid to a pregnant woman for the month in which the birth is anticipated and for the six-month period immediately prior to the month in which the birth is anticipated, in the amount that would otherwise be paid to one person, as specified in subdivision (a), if the woman and child, if born, would have qualified for aid under this chapter. Verification of pregnancy shall be required as a condition of eligibility for aid under this subdivision.
(3)Paragraph (1) shall apply only when the Cal-Learn Program is operative.
(c)The amount of forty-seven dollars ($47) per month shall be paid to pregnant women qualified for aid under subdivision (a) or (b) to meet special needs resulting from pregnancy if the woman and child, if born, would have qualified for aid under this chapter. County welfare departments shall refer all recipients of aid under this subdivision to a local provider of the California Special Supplemental Food Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children. If that payment to pregnant women qualified for aid under subdivision (a) is considered income under federal law in the first five months of pregnancy, payments under this subdivision shall not apply to persons eligible under subdivision (a), except for the month in which birth is anticipated and for the three-month period immediately prior to the month in which delivery is anticipated, if the woman and child, if born, would have qualified for aid under this chapter.
(d)For children receiving AFDC-FC under this chapter, there shall be paid, exclusive of any amount considered exempt as income, an amount of aid each month that, when added to the childs income, is equal to the rate specified in Section 11460, 11461, 11462, or 11463. In addition, the child shall be eligible for special needs, as specified in departmental regulations.
(e)In addition to the amounts payable under subdivision (a) and Section 11453.1, a family shall be entitled to receive an allowance for recurring special needs not common to a majority of recipients. These recurring special needs shall include, but not be limited to, special diets upon the recommendation of a physician for circumstances other than pregnancy, and unusual costs of transportation, laundry, housekeeping services, telephone, and utilities. The recurring special needs allowance for each family per month shall not exceed that amount resulting from multiplying the sum of ten dollars ($10) by the number of recipients in the family who are eligible for assistance.
(f)After a family has used all available liquid resources, both exempt and nonexempt, in excess of one hundred dollars ($100), with the exception of funds deposited in a restricted account described in subdivision (a) of Section 11155.2, the family shall also be entitled to receive an allowance for nonrecurring special needs.
(1)An allowance for nonrecurring special needs shall be granted for replacement of clothing and household equipment and for emergency housing needs other than those needs addressed by paragraph (2). These needs shall be caused by sudden and unusual circumstances beyond the control of the needy family. The department shall establish the allowance for each of the nonrecurring special needs items. The sum of all nonrecurring special needs provided by this subdivision shall not exceed six hundred dollars ($600) per event.
(2)(A)(i)Homeless assistance is available to a homeless family seeking shelter when the family is eligible for aid under this chapter.
(ii)Homeless assistance for temporary shelter is also available to homeless families that are apparently eligible for aid under this chapter. Apparent eligibility exists when evidence presented by the applicant, or that is otherwise available to the county welfare department, and the information provided on the application documents indicate that there would be eligibility for aid under this chapter if the evidence and information were verified. However, an alien applicant who does not provide verification of his or her eligible alien status, or a woman with no eligible children who does not provide medical verification of pregnancy, is not apparently eligible for purposes of this section.
(iii)Homeless assistance for temporary shelter is also available to homeless families that would be eligible for aid under this chapter, but for the fact that the only child or children in the family are in out-of-home placement pursuant to an order of the dependency court, if the family is receiving reunification services and the county determines that homeless assistance is necessary for reunification to occur.
(B)A family is considered homeless, for the purpose of this section, when the family lacks a fixed and regular nighttime residence; or the family has a primary nighttime residence that is a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations; or the family is residing in a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings. A family is also considered homeless for the purpose of this section if the family has received a notice to pay rent or quit. The family shall demonstrate that the eviction is the result of a verified financial hardship as a result of extraordinary circumstances beyond their control, and not other lease or rental violations, and that the family is experiencing a financial crisis that could result in homelessness if preventative assistance is not provided.
(3)(A)(i)A nonrecurring special needs benefit of sixty-five dollars ($65) a day shall be available to families of up to four members for the costs of temporary shelter, subject to the requirements of this paragraph. The fifth and additional members of the family shall each receive fifteen dollars ($15) per day, up to a daily maximum of one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125). County welfare departments may increase the daily amount available for temporary shelter as necessary to secure the additional bedspace needed by the family.
(ii)This special needs benefit shall be granted or denied immediately upon the familys application for homeless assistance, and benefits shall be available for up to three working days. The county welfare department shall verify the familys homelessness within the first three working days and if the family meets the criteria of questionable homelessness established by the department, the county welfare department shall refer the family to its early fraud prevention and detection unit, if the county has such a unit, for assistance in the verification of homelessness within this period.
(iii)After homelessness has been verified, the three-day limit shall be extended for a period of time that, when added to the initial benefits provided, does not exceed a total of 16 calendar days. This extension of benefits shall be done in increments of one week and shall be based upon searching for permanent housing which shall be documented on a housing search form, good cause, or other circumstances defined by the department. Documentation of a housing search shall be required for the initial extension of benefits beyond the three-day limit and on a weekly basis thereafter as long as the family is receiving temporary shelter benefits. Good cause shall include, but is not limited to, situations in which the county welfare department has determined that the family, to the extent it is capable, has made a good faith but unsuccessful effort to secure permanent housing while receiving temporary shelter benefits or that the family is homeless as a direct and primary result of a state or federally declared natural disaster.
(iv)Notwithstanding clauses (ii) and (iii), the county may waive the three-day limit and may provide benefits in increments of more than one week for a family that becomes homeless as a direct and primary result of a state or federally declared natural disaster.
(B)(i)A nonrecurring special needs benefit for permanent housing assistance is available to pay for last months rent and security deposits when these payments are reasonable conditions of securing a residence, or to pay for up to two months of rent arrearages, when these payments are a reasonable condition of preventing eviction.
(ii)The last months rent or monthly arrearage portion of the payment (I) shall not exceed 80 percent of the familys total monthly household income without the value of CalFresh benefits or special needs benefit for a family of that size and (II) shall only be made to families that have found permanent housing costing no more than 80 percent of the familys total monthly household income without the value of CalFresh benefits or special needs benefit for a family of that size.
(iii)However, if the county welfare department determines that a family intends to reside with individuals who will be sharing housing costs, the county welfare department shall, in appropriate circumstances, set aside the condition specified in subclause (II) of clause (ii).
(C)The nonrecurring special needs benefit for permanent housing assistance is also available to cover the standard costs of deposits for utilities which are necessary for the health and safety of the family.
(D)A payment for, or denial of, permanent housing assistance shall be issued no later than one working day from the time that a family presents evidence of the availability of permanent housing. If an applicant family provides evidence of the availability of permanent housing before the county welfare department has established eligibility for aid under this chapter, the county welfare department shall complete the eligibility determination so that the payment for, or denial of, permanent housing assistance is issued within one working day from the submission of evidence of the availability of permanent housing, unless the family has failed to provide all of the verification necessary to establish eligibility for aid under this chapter.
(E)(i)Except as provided in clauses (ii) and (iii), eligibility for the temporary shelter assistance and the permanent housing assistance pursuant to this paragraph shall be limited to one period of up to 16 consecutive calendar days of temporary assistance and one payment of permanent assistance every 12 months. A person who applies for homeless assistance benefits shall be informed that the temporary shelter benefit of up to 16 consecutive days is available only once every 12 months, with certain exceptions, and that a break in the consecutive use of the benefit constitutes exhaustion of the temporary benefit for that 12-month period.
(ii)(I)A family that becomes homeless as a direct and primary result of a state or federally declared natural disaster shall be eligible for temporary and permanent homeless assistance.
(II)In the event of a state or federally declared disaster in a county, the county human services agency shall coordinate with public and private disaster response organizations and agencies to identify and inform recipients of their eligibility for temporary and permanent homeless housing assistance available pursuant to subclause (I).
(iii)A family shall be eligible for temporary and permanent homeless assistance when homelessness is a direct result of domestic violence by a spouse, partner, or roommate; physical or mental illness that is medically verified that shall not include a diagnosis of alcoholism, drug addiction, or psychological stress; or the uninhabitability of the former residence caused by sudden and unusual circumstances beyond the control of the family family, including natural catastrophe, fire, or condemnation. These circumstances shall be verified by a third-party governmental or private health and human services agency, except that domestic violence may also be verified by a sworn statement by the victim, as provided under Section 11495.25. Homeless assistance payments based on these specific circumstances may not be received more often than once in any 12-month period. In addition, if the domestic violence is verified by a sworn statement by the victim, the homeless assistance payments shall be limited to two periods of not more than 16 consecutive calendar days of temporary assistance and two payments of permanent assistance. A county may require that a recipient of homeless assistance benefits who qualifies under this paragraph for a second time in a 24-month period participate in a homelessness avoidance case plan as a condition of eligibility for homeless assistance benefits. The county welfare department shall immediately inform recipients who verify domestic violence by a sworn statement of the availability of domestic violence counseling and services, and refer those recipients to services upon request.
(iv)If a county requires a recipient who verifies domestic violence by a sworn statement to participate in a homelessness avoidance case plan pursuant to clause (iii), the plan shall include the provision of domestic violence services, if appropriate.
(v)If a recipient seeking homeless assistance based on domestic violence pursuant to clause (iii) has previously received homeless avoidance services based on domestic violence, the county shall review whether services were offered to the recipient and consider what additional services would assist the recipient in leaving the domestic violence situation.
(vi)The county welfare department shall report necessary data to the department through a statewide homeless assistance payment indicator system, as requested by the department, regarding all recipients of aid under this paragraph.
(F)The county welfare departments, and all other entities participating in the costs of the CalWORKs program, have the right in their share to any refunds resulting from payment of the permanent housing. However, if an emergency requires the family to move within the 12-month period specified in subparagraph (E), the family shall be allowed to use any refunds received from its deposits to meet the costs of moving to another residence.
(G)Payments to providers for temporary shelter and permanent housing and utilities shall be made on behalf of families requesting these payments.
(H)The daily amount for the temporary shelter special needs benefit for homeless assistance may be increased if authorized by the current years Budget Act by specifying a different daily allowance and appropriating the funds therefor.
(I)No payment shall be made pursuant to this paragraph unless the provider of housing is a commercial establishment, shelter, or person in the business of renting properties who has a history of renting properties.
(J)(i)Commencing July 1, 2018, a CalWORKs applicant who provides a sworn statement of past or present domestic abuse and who is fleeing his or her abuser shall be deemed to be homeless and shall be eligible for temporary homeless assistance under clause (i) of subparagraph (A) and under subparagraph (E), notwithstanding any income and assets attributable to the alleged abuser.
(ii)The homeless assistance payments issued under this subparagraph shall be granted immediately after the familys application, and benefits shall be available in increments of 16 days of temporary shelter assistance pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A). The homeless assistance payments shall be limited to two consecutive periods of not more than 16 consecutive calendar days each of temporary assistance within a lifetime. The homeless assistance payments issued under this subparagraph shall be in addition to other payments for which the CalWORKS applicant, if he or she becomes a CalWORKS recipient, may later qualify under this subdivision.
(iii)For purposes of this subparagraph, the housing search documentation described in clause (iii) of subparagraph (A) shall be required only upon issuance of an immediate need payment pursuant to Section 11266 or the issuance of benefits for the month of application.
(g)The department shall establish rules and regulations ensuring the uniform statewide application of this section.
(h)The department shall notify all applicants and recipients of aid through the standardized application form that these benefits are available and shall provide an opportunity for recipients to apply for the funds quickly and efficiently.
(i)The department shall work with county human services agencies, the County Welfare Directors Association, and advocates of CalWORKs recipients to gather information regarding the actual costs of a nightly shelter and best practices for transitioning families from a temporary shelter to a permanent shelter, and to provide that information to the Legislature, to be annually submitted in accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(j)(1)Except for the purposes of Section 15200, the amounts payable to recipients pursuant to Section 11453.1 shall not constitute part of the payment schedule set forth in subdivision (a).
(2)The amounts payable to recipients pursuant to Section 11453.1 shall not constitute income to recipients of aid under this section.
(k)For children receiving Kin-GAP pursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 11360) or Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385), there shall be paid, exclusive of any amount considered exempt as income, an amount of aid each month, which, when added to the childs income, is equal to the rate specified in Sections 11364 and 11387.
(l)(1)A county shall implement the semiannual reporting requirements in accordance with Chapter 501 of the Statutes of 2011 no later than October 1, 2013.
(2)Upon completion of the implementation described in paragraph (1), each county shall provide a certificate to the director certifying that semiannual reporting has been implemented in the county.
(3)Upon filing the certificate described in paragraph (2), a county shall comply with the semiannual reporting provisions of this section.
(m)Effective May 1, 2019, a child receiving aid pursuant to this chapter who is not pregnant or parenting a child and person under 19 years of age who attains a high school diploma or its equivalent while receiving aid pursuant to this chapter, and who is ineligible for the payment supplements described in Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 11331), shall be eligible to receive a one-time education support payment of five hundred dollars ($500).
SEC. 2.Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the State Department of Social Services shall implement this act by all-county letters or similar instructions beginning no later than May 1, 2019, until regulations are adopted. The department shall adopt regulations implementing this act on or before May 1, 2021.
SEC. 3.No appropriation pursuant to Section 15200 of the Welfare and Institutions Code shall be made for purposes of this act.
SEC. 4.If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(a)(1)(A)Aid shall be paid for each needy family, which shall include all eligible brothers and sisters of each eligible applicant or recipient child and the parents of the children, but shall not include unborn children, or recipients of aid under Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 12000), qualified for aid under this chapter. In determining the amount of aid paid, and notwithstanding the minimum basic standards of adequate care specified in Section 11452, the familys income, exclusive of any amounts considered exempt as income or paid pursuant to subdivision (e) or Section 11453.1, determined for the prospective semiannual period pursuant to Sections 11265.1, 11265.2, and 11265.3, and then calculated pursuant to Section 11451.5, shall be deducted from the sum specified in the following table, as adjusted for cost-of-living increases pursuant to Section 11453 and paragraph (2). In no case shall the amount of aid paid for each month exceed the sum specified in the following table, as adjusted for cost-of-living increases pursuant to Section 11453 and paragraph (2), plus any special needs, as specified in subdivisions (c), (e), and (f):
Number of | Maximum |
|---|---|
1 | $326 |
2 | 535 |
3 | 663 |
4 | 788 |
5 | 899 |
6 | 1,010 |
7 | 1,109 |
8 | 1,209 |
9 | 1,306 |
10 or more | 1,403 |
(B)If, when, and during those times that the United States government increases or decreases its contributions in assistance of needy children in this state above or below the amount paid on July 1, 1972, the amounts specified in the above table shall be increased or decreased by an amount equal to that increase or decrease by the United States government, provided that no increase or decrease shall be subject to subsequent adjustment pursuant to Section 11453.
(2)The sums specified in paragraph (1) shall not be adjusted for cost of living for the 199091, 199192, 199293, 199394, 199495, 199596, 199697, and 199798 fiscal years, and through October 31, 1998, nor shall that amount be included in the base for calculating any cost-of-living increases for any fiscal year thereafter. Elimination of the cost-of-living adjustment pursuant to this paragraph shall satisfy the requirements of former Section 11453.05, and no further reduction shall be made pursuant to that section.
(b)(1)When the family does not include a needy child qualified for aid under this chapter, aid shall be paid to a pregnant child who is 18 years of age or younger at any time after verification of pregnancy, in the amount that would otherwise be paid to one person, as specified in subdivision (a), if the child and her child, if born, would have qualified for aid under this chapter. Verification of pregnancy shall be required as a condition of eligibility for aid under this subdivision.
(2)Notwithstanding paragraph (1), when the family does not include a needy child qualified for aid under this chapter, aid shall be paid to a pregnant woman for the month in which the birth is anticipated and for the six-month period immediately prior to the month in which the birth is anticipated, in the amount that would otherwise be paid to one person, as specified in subdivision (a), if the woman and child, if born, would have qualified for aid under this chapter. Verification of pregnancy shall be required as a condition of eligibility for aid under this subdivision.
(3)Paragraph (1) shall apply only when the Cal-Learn Program is operative.
(c)The amount of forty-seven dollars ($47) per month shall be paid to pregnant women qualified for aid under subdivision (a) or (b) to meet special needs resulting from pregnancy if the woman and child, if born, would have qualified for aid under this chapter. County welfare departments shall refer all recipients of aid under this subdivision to a local provider of the Women, Infants, and Children program. California Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children. If that payment to pregnant women qualified for aid under subdivision (a) is considered income under federal law in the first five months of pregnancy, payments under this subdivision shall not apply to persons eligible under subdivision (a), except for the month in which birth is anticipated and for the three-month period immediately prior to the month in which delivery is anticipated, if the woman and child, if born, would have qualified for aid under this chapter.
(d)For children receiving AFDC-FC under this chapter, there shall be paid, exclusive of any amount considered exempt as income, an amount of aid each month that, when added to the childs income, is equal to the rate specified in Section 11460, 11461, 11462, 11462.1, or 11463. In addition, the child shall be eligible for special needs, as specified in departmental regulations.
(e)In addition to the amounts payable under subdivision (a) and Section 11453.1, a family shall be entitled to receive an allowance for recurring special needs not common to a majority of recipients. These recurring special needs shall include, but not be limited to, special diets upon the recommendation of a physician for circumstances other than pregnancy, and unusual costs of transportation, laundry, housekeeping services, telephone, and utilities. The recurring special needs allowance for each family per month shall not exceed that amount resulting from multiplying the sum of ten dollars ($10) by the number of recipients in the family who are eligible for assistance.
(f)After a family has used all available liquid resources, both exempt and nonexempt, in excess of one hundred dollars ($100), with the exception of funds deposited in a restricted account described in subdivision (a) of Section 11155.2, the family shall also be entitled to receive an allowance for nonrecurring special needs.
(1)An allowance for nonrecurring special needs shall be granted for replacement of clothing and household equipment and for emergency housing needs other than those needs addressed by paragraph (2). These needs shall be caused by sudden and unusual circumstances beyond the control of the needy family. The department shall establish the allowance for each of the nonrecurring special needs items. The sum of all nonrecurring special needs provided by this subdivision shall not exceed six hundred dollars ($600) per event.
(2)(A)(i)Homeless assistance is available to a homeless family seeking shelter when the family is eligible for aid under this chapter.
(ii)Homeless assistance for temporary shelter is also available to homeless families that are apparently eligible for aid under this chapter. Apparent eligibility exists when evidence presented by the applicant, or that is otherwise available to the county welfare department, and the information provided on the application documents indicate that there would be eligibility for aid under this chapter if the evidence and information were verified. However, an alien applicant who does not provide verification of his or her eligible alien status, or a woman with no eligible children who does not provide medical verification of pregnancy, is not apparently eligible for purposes of this section.
(iii)Homeless assistance for temporary shelter is also available to homeless families that would be eligible for aid under this chapter chapter, but for the fact that the only child or children in the family are in out-of-home placement pursuant to an order of the dependency court, if the family is receiving reunification services and the county determines that homeless assistance is necessary for reunification to occur.
(B)A family is considered homeless, for the purpose of this section, when the family lacks a fixed and regular nighttime residence; or the family has a primary nighttime residence that is a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations; or the family is residing in a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings. A family is also considered homeless for the purpose of this section if the family has received a notice to pay rent or quit. The family shall demonstrate that the eviction is the result of a verified financial hardship as a result of extraordinary circumstances beyond their control, and not other lease or rental violations, and that the family is experiencing a financial crisis that could result in homelessness if preventative assistance is not provided.
(3)(A)(i)A nonrecurring special needs benefit of sixty-five dollars ($65) a day shall be available to families of up to four members for the costs of temporary shelter, subject to the requirements of this paragraph. The fifth and additional members of the family shall each receive fifteen dollars ($15) per day, up to a daily maximum of one hundred twenty-five dollars ($125). County welfare departments may increase the daily amount available for temporary shelter as necessary to secure the additional bedspace needed by the family.
(ii)This special needs benefit shall be granted or denied immediately upon the familys application for homeless assistance, and benefits shall be available for up to three working days. The county welfare department shall verify the familys homelessness within the first three working days and if the family meets the criteria of questionable homelessness established by the department, the county welfare department shall refer the family to its early fraud prevention and detection unit, if the county has such a unit, for assistance in the verification of homelessness within this period.
(iii)After homelessness has been verified, the three-day limit shall be extended for a period of time that, when added to the initial benefits provided, does not exceed a total of 16 calendar days. This extension of benefits shall be done in increments of one week and shall be based upon searching for permanent housing which shall be documented on a housing search form, good cause, or other circumstances defined by the department. Documentation of a housing search shall be required for the initial extension of benefits beyond the three-day limit and on a weekly basis thereafter as long as the family is receiving temporary shelter benefits. Good cause shall include, but is not limited to, situations in which the county welfare department has determined that the family, to the extent it is capable, has made a good faith but unsuccessful effort to secure permanent housing while receiving temporary shelter benefits or that the family is homeless as a direct and primary result of a state or federally declared natural disaster.
(iv)Notwithstanding clauses (ii) and (iii), the county may waive the three-day limit and may provide benefits in increments of more than one week for a family that becomes homeless as a direct and primary result of a state or federally declared natural disaster.
(B)(i)A nonrecurring special needs benefit for permanent housing assistance is available to pay for last months rent and security deposits when these payments are reasonable conditions of securing a residence, or to pay for up to two months of rent arrearages, when these payments are a reasonable condition of preventing eviction.
(ii)The last months rent or monthly arrearage portion of the payment (I) shall not exceed 80 percent of the familys total monthly household income without the value of CalFresh benefits or special needs benefit for a family of that size and (II) shall only be made to families that have found permanent housing costing no more than 80 percent of the familys total monthly household income without the value of CalFresh benefits or special needs benefit for a family of that size.
(iii)However, if the county welfare department determines that a family intends to reside with individuals who will be sharing housing costs, the county welfare department shall, in appropriate circumstances, set aside the condition specified in subclause (II) of clause (ii).
(C)The nonrecurring special needs benefit for permanent housing assistance is also available to cover the standard costs of deposits for utilities which are necessary for the health and safety of the family.
(D)A payment for for, or denial of of, permanent housing assistance shall be issued no later than one working day from the time that a family presents evidence of the availability of permanent housing. If an applicant family provides evidence of the availability of permanent housing before the county welfare department has established eligibility for aid under this chapter, the county welfare department shall complete the eligibility determination so that the payment for, or denial of, permanent housing assistance is issued within one working day from the submission of evidence of the availability of permanent housing, unless the family has failed to provide all of the verification necessary to establish eligibility for aid under this chapter.
(E)(i)Except as provided in clauses (ii) and (iii), eligibility for the temporary shelter assistance and the permanent housing assistance pursuant to this paragraph shall be limited to one period of up to 16 consecutive calendar days of temporary assistance and one payment of permanent assistance every 12 months. A person who applies for homeless assistance benefits shall be informed that the temporary shelter benefit of up to 16 consecutive days is available only once every 12 months, with certain exceptions, and that a break in the consecutive use of the benefit constitutes exhaustion of the temporary benefit for that 12-month period.
(ii)(I)A family that becomes homeless as a direct and primary result of a state or federally declared natural disaster shall be eligible for temporary and permanent homeless assistance.
(II)In the event of a state or federally declared disaster in a county, the county human services agency shall coordinate with public and private disaster response organizations and agencies to identify and inform recipients of their eligibility for temporary and permanent homeless housing assistance available pursuant to subclause (I).
(iii)A family shall be eligible for temporary and permanent homeless assistance when homelessness is a direct result of domestic violence by a spouse, partner, or roommate; physical or mental illness that is medically verified that shall not include a diagnosis of alcoholism, drug addiction, or psychological stress; or the uninhabitability of the former residence caused by sudden and unusual circumstances beyond the control of the family including natural catastrophe, fire, or condemnation. These circumstances shall be verified by a third-party governmental or private health and human services agency, except that domestic violence may also be verified by a sworn statement by the victim, as provided under Section 11495.25. Homeless assistance payments based on these specific circumstances may not be received more often than once in any 12-month period. In addition, if the domestic violence is verified by a sworn statement by the victim, the homeless assistance payments shall be limited to two periods of not more than 16 consecutive calendar days of temporary assistance and two payments of permanent assistance. A county may require that a recipient of homeless assistance benefits who qualifies under this paragraph for a second time in a 24-month period participate in a homelessness avoidance case plan as a condition of eligibility for homeless assistance benefits. The county welfare department shall immediately inform recipients who verify domestic violence by a sworn statement of the availability of domestic violence counseling and services, and refer those recipients to services upon request.
(iv)If a county requires a recipient who verifies domestic violence by a sworn statement to participate in a homelessness avoidance case plan pursuant to clause (iii), the plan shall include the provision of domestic violence services, if appropriate.
(v)If a recipient seeking homeless assistance based on domestic violence pursuant to clause (iii) has previously received homeless avoidance services based on domestic violence, the county shall review whether services were offered to the recipient and consider what additional services would assist the recipient in leaving the domestic violence situation.
(vi)The county welfare department shall report necessary data to the department through a statewide homeless assistance payment indicator system, as requested by the department, regarding all recipients of aid under this paragraph.
(F)The county welfare departments, and all other entities participating in the costs of the CalWORKs program, have the right in their share to any refunds resulting from payment of the permanent housing. However, if an emergency requires the family to move within the 12-month period specified in subparagraph (E), the family shall be allowed to use any refunds received from its deposits to meet the costs of moving to another residence.
(G)Payments to providers for temporary shelter and permanent housing and utilities shall be made on behalf of families requesting these payments.
(H)The daily amount for the temporary shelter special needs benefit for homeless assistance may be increased if authorized by the current years Budget Act by specifying a different daily allowance and appropriating the funds therefor.
(I)No payment shall be made pursuant to this paragraph unless the provider of housing is a commercial establishment, shelter, or person in the business of renting properties who has a history of renting properties.
(J)(i)Commencing July 1, 2018, a CalWORKs applicant who provides a sworn statement of past or present domestic abuse and who is fleeing his or her abuser shall be deemed to be homeless and shall be eligible for temporary homeless assistance under clause (i) of subparagraph (A) and under subparagraph (E), notwithstanding any income and assets attributable to the alleged abuser.
(ii)The homeless assistance payments issued under this subparagraph shall be granted immediately after the familys application, and benefits shall be available in increments of 16 days of temporary shelter assistance pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph (A). The homeless assistance payments shall be limited to two consecutive periods of not more than 16 consecutive calendar days each of temporary assistance within a lifetime. The homeless assistance payments issued under this subparagraph shall be in addition to other payments for which the CalWORKS applicant, if he or she becomes a CalWORKS recipient, may later qualify under this subdivision.
(iii)For purposes of this subparagraph, the housing search documentation described in clause (iii) of subparagraph (A) shall be required only upon issuance of an immediate need payment pursuant to Section 11266 or the issuance of benefits for the month of application.
(g)The department shall establish rules and regulations ensuring the uniform statewide application of this section.
(h)The department shall notify all applicants and recipients of aid through the standardized application form that these benefits are available and shall provide an opportunity for recipients to apply for the funds quickly and efficiently.
(i)The department shall work with county human services agencies, the County Welfare Directors Association, and advocates of CalWORKs recipients to gather information regarding the actual costs of a nightly shelter and best practices for transitioning families from a temporary shelter to a permanent shelter, and to provide that information to the Legislature, to be annually submitted in accordance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(j)(1)Except for the purposes of Section 15200, the amounts payable to recipients pursuant to Section 11453.1 shall not constitute part of the payment schedule set forth in subdivision (a).
(2)The amounts payable to recipients pursuant to Section 11453.1 shall not constitute income to recipients of aid under this section.
(k)For children receiving Kin-GAP pursuant to Article 4.5 (commencing with Section 11360) or Article 4.7 (commencing with Section 11385) 11385), there shall be paid, exclusive of any amount considered exempt as income, an amount of aid each month, which, when added to the childs income, is equal to the rate specified in Sections 11364 and 11387.
(l)(1)A county shall implement the semiannual reporting requirements in accordance with Chapter 501 of the Statutes of 2011 no later than October 1, 2013.
(2)Upon completion of the implementation described in paragraph (1), each county shall provide a certificate to the director certifying that semiannual reporting has been implemented in the county.
(3)Upon filing the certificate described in paragraph (2), a county shall comply with the semiannual reporting provisions of this section.
(m)Effective May 1, 2019, a child receiving aid pursuant to this chapter who is not pregnant or parenting a child and who attains a high school diploma or its equivalent shall be eligible to receive a one-time education support payment of five hundred dollars ($500).
SEC. 2.Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the State Department of Social Services shall implement this act by all-county letters or similar instructions beginning no later than May 1, 2019, until regulations are adopted. The department shall adopt regulations implementing this act on or before May 1, 2021.
SEC. 3.No appropriation pursuant to Section 15200 of the Welfare and Institutions Code shall be made for purposes of this act.
SEC. 4.If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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Date
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Status
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|---|---|
| May 25, 2018 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| May 25, 2018 | Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. |
| May 23, 2018 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Apr 11, 2018 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Apr 3, 2018 | Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S. |
| Apr 2, 2018 | From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. Read second time and amended. |
| Mar 8, 2018 | Referred to Com. on HUM. S. |
| Feb 16, 2018 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 18. |
| Feb 15, 2018 | Read first time. To print. |
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Date
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Description
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Location
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Votes
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2018 | Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] | Assembly Standing Committee on Human Services |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
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Organization
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Position
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Date
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|---|---|---|
| American Academy Of Pediatrics, Ca | ** Support | Apr 6, 2018 |
| California Chapter National Association of Social Workers | * Support | Apr 10, 2018 |
| Coalition Of Ca Welfare Rights Organizations | ** Support | Apr 6, 2018 |
| County Welfare Directors Association Of Ca - Sponsor | ** Support | Apr 6, 2018 |
| Support: Western Center on Law and Poverty | * Support | Apr 10, 2018 |
Date of Hearing: May 23, 2018
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, Chair
ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2637
Author:(O'Donnell) – As Amended Ver:April 2, 2018
Policy Committee: | Human Services | Vote: | 7 - 0 |
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| ||
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: Yes
SUMMARY:
This bill deems as eligible, as of May 1, 2019, to receive a one-time education support payment of $500, a person under the age of 19 who is not eligible for Cal-Learn and who earns a high school diploma or its equivalent while receiving CalWORKs aid.
FISCAL EFFECT:
- Significant annual costs of approximately $5 million (GF) ongoing. This assumes that 80% of the 12,400 eligible 12th grade students on CalWORKs (not including Cal-Learn students) will graduate and receive the $500 payment.
- Approximately $500,000 (GF) annual ongoing statewide administrative costs to counties to run the program. These state-mandated costs are potentially reimbursable by the state, subject to a determination by the Commission on State Mandates.
- Unknown onetime costs to DSS for automation changes necessary to implement the program.
COMMENTS:
- Purpose. This bill seeks to encourage CalWORKs youth to attain a high school diploma. According to the author, “In Los Angeles County, we have seen positive results from the Education Support Payment program – which encourages CalWORKs youth to attain a high school diploma with a $500 cash bonus. It is serving as a model for the rest of the state.”
- CalWORKs. The CalWORKs program provides monthly income assistance and employment-related services using federal, state and county funds. A recipient of CalWORKs is required to participate in welfare-to-work activities as a condition of eligibility for aid. Current law prohibits the receipt of CalWORKs aid by, or on behalf of, a child 18 years of age or older. However, there is an exception to this prohibition in cases where an 18-year-old is attending high school or receiving the equivalent level of vocational or technical training on a full-time basis. In these instances, provided the child can reasonably be expected to complete the educational or training program before turning 19, they may remain eligible for CalWORKs aid.
- Cal-Learn. Cal-Learn is a statewide program for pregnant and parenting teens in the CalWORKs program, designed to encourage pregnant and parenting teens to graduate from high school or attain an equivalency diploma. Bonuses include four $100 bonuses per year earned based on report card results, and a one-time $500 bonus for graduating or attaining an equivalent high school diploma. Sanctions are applied if satisfactory grades are not maintained or if timely report cards are not submitted. Participation in Cal-Learn is limited to and required for pregnant and parenting teens who are receiving CalWORKs and who are under the age of 19, live in the same household as their child, have not graduated from high school or its equivalent, and are not in foster care. DSS estimates that 7,700 teens participate in Cal-Learn each month.
- Prior Legislation.
SB 89 (Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), Chapter 24, Statutes of 2017, among a number of other things, created the CalWORKs Educational Opportunity and Attainment Program, which provides CalWORKs recipients with a one-time education incentive award of $100 for completion of a high school diploma or its equivalent, and authorizes a CalWORKs recipient to apply to receive a one-time education stipend totaling $1,000 for enrollment in an education or training program leading to a career technical education program certificate, an associate's degree, or a bachelor's degree. The program received onetime funding of $4 million (GF) in the budget.
AB 227 (Mayes), of this legislative session, creates the CalWORKs Educational Opportunity and Attainment Program to offer education grants and stipends to eligible CalWORKs participants who complete certain educational programs. This bill is pending hearing in the Senate Human Services Committee.
AB 1994 (Lopez), of the 2015-16 Legislative Session, similar to this bill,would have created the CalED program to provide a one-time $500 supplement to eligible CalWORKs participants upon successful completion of a high school equivalency examination. It was held on this committee’s Suspense File.
AB 2058 (Mayes), of the 2015-16 Legislative Session, would have created the CalWORKs Educational Opportunity and Attainment Program to offer education grants to eligible CalWORKs participants who complete certain educational programs. It was held on this committee’s Suspense File.
Analysis Prepared by: Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081
Date of Hearing: April 10, 2018
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES
Blanca Rubio, Chair
ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2637 (
Author:O'Donnell) – As Amended Ver:April 2, 2018
SUBJECT: CalWORKs: aid amounts: education support payments
SUMMARY: Deems, as of May 1, 2019, a person under the age of 19 who is not eligible for Cal-Learn and who earns a high school diploma or its equivalent while receiving CalWORKs aid as eligible to receive a one-time education support payment of $500, requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) to implement the provisions of this bill through all-county letters or similar instructions by May 1, 2019, and through regulations by May 1, 2021, and states that no continuous appropriation, as specified, shall be made for purposes of the provisions of this bill.
EXISTING LAW:
- Establishes under federal law the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to provide aid and welfare-to-work services to eligible families and, in California, provides that TANF funds for welfare-to-work services are administered through the CalWORKs program. (42 U.S.C. 601 et seq., WIC 11200 et seq.)
- Establishes income, asset, and real property limits used to determine eligibility for the CalWORKs program, including net income below the Maximum Aid Payment (MAP), based on family size and county of residence, which is around 40% of the Federal Poverty Level. (WIC 11150 to 11160, 11450 et seq.)
- Establishes a 48-month lifetime limit on CalWORKs benefits for eligible adults, including a period beyond the “24-month time clock” during which a recipient must meet federal work requirements in order to retain eligibility. (WIC 11454, 11322.85)
- Requires all individuals 16 years of age or older, unless they are otherwise exempt, to participate in welfare-to-work activities as a condition of eligibility for CalWORKs.
(WIC 11320.3, 11322.6)
- Establishes the number of weekly hours of welfare-to-work participation necessary to remain eligible for aid, including requirements for an unemployed parent in a two-parent assistance unit, as specified. (WIC 11322.8)
- Prohibits CalWORKs aid from being granted to or on behalf of any child who has reached 18 years of age unless the child is less than 19 years of age and attending high school or the equivalent level of vocational or technical training on a full-time basis and can reasonably be expected to complete the educational or training program prior to his or her 19th birthday. (WIC 11253)
- Establishes the Cal-Learn Program as a requisite program for pregnant or parenting teen CalWORKs recipients, with some exceptions, that provide supports and services to support the acquisition of a high diploma or equivalent, as specified. (WIC 11331-11334.7)
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown.
COMMENTS:
CalWORKs: CalWORKs is a county-administered public assistance program that is funded in part by the federal TANF block grant and that aims to help children and families meet basic needs and move out of poverty. Families receive cash assistance and have access to a variety of services, including, where applicable, child care, as well as services aimed at addressing mental health needs, substance use disorders, instances of domestic violence, and learning disabilities, among other issues. Parents must develop and participate in a welfare-to-work plan, unless exempted or otherwise not required to participate. The maximum CalWORKs grant for a family of three living in a high cost county, if the family has no other income, is $714 per month. For Fiscal Year 2017-18, the average monthly CalWORKs cash grant is $564 per household. In Fiscal Year 2016-17, the average monthly CalWORKs caseload was 452,770 households, of which 154,005 were single-parent households and 234,766 were households where only the child or children received aid.
The CalWORKs program typically requires recipients to participate in welfare-to-work requirements, which can include public or private sector subsidized or unsubsidized employment; on-the-job training; community service; secondary school, adult basic education and vocational education and training when the education is needed for the recipient to become employed; specific mental health, substance abuse, or domestic violence services if they are necessary to obtain or retain employment; and a number of other activities necessary to assist a recipient in obtaining unsubsidized employment.
SB 1041 (Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), Chapter 47, Statutes of 2012, adopted a number of changes to the CalWORKs program, including the establishment of the 24-month time clock. While most adult recipients are expected to participate in welfare-to-work activities during the up to 48 months for which they may receive assistance, those participation requirements can include a broad range of activities for 24 of those 48 months, such as employment, training, education, and mental health, domestic violence, and substance abuse services. After this 24-month time clock “runs out,” recipients must meet the less-flexible federal TANF requirements in order to remain eligible for aid. A CalWORKs recipient who does not meet his or her welfare-to-work requirements and is not exempt from them is subject to sanction, which results in that individual’s portion of the family’s grant being subtracted from the total grant amount provided to the family to meet basic needs.
Current law prohibits the receipt of CalWORKs aid by, or on behalf of, a child 18 years of age or older. However, there is an exception to this prohibition in cases where an 18-year-old is attending high school or receiving the equivalent level of vocational or technical training on a full time basis; in these instances, provided the child can reasonably be expected to complete the educational or training program before turning 19, he or she may remain eligible for aid. This exception is supported by federal regulations which, for purposes of the TANF program, define “minor child” to mean “an individual who: 1) has not attained 18 years of age; or 2) has not attained 19 years of age and is a full-time student in a secondary school (or in the equivalent level of vocational or technical training)” (Code of Federal Regulations, Title 45, Section 260.30).
Cal-Learn: Cal-Learn is a statewide program that is required for pregnant and parenting teens under 19 years old (and voluntary for certain 19-year-olds) who are CalWORKs participants that provides supports and services to assist in the successful completion of a high school education or its equivalent. Intensive case management and special supportive services are offered to Cal-Learn participants, and good school performance is rewarded, but poor school performance carries a sanction: good grades result in $100 being added to the participant’s family’s grant for each report card period, while receiving a below-D average will result in $100 being taken away from the family’s grant for each report card period. A participant can receive $500 for earning a high school diploma or its equivalent. In Fiscal Year 2016-17, in an average month, there were 3,664 teens participating in Cal-Learn.
Impacts of a high school education: Earning a high school diploma can positively impact an individual’s earnings and employment potential. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2017, full-time workers who were 25 years old or older and had less than a high school diploma had median weekly earnings of $520 ($27,040 per year) and had an unemployment rate of 6.5%; for those with a high school diploma, median earnings were $712 per week ($37,024 per year) and the unemployment rate was 4.6%.
Need for this bill: According to the author, “I know the value of a high school diploma and how it opens countless doors of opportunity for our youth. Establishing the Youth Education Support Payments will ensure that all CalWORKs youth are provided the same academic achievement grant. Awarding this credit to CalWORKs graduates will not only assist them financially – it will increase the likelihood that they will continue their education post-high school.
In Los Angeles County, we have seen positive results from the Education Support Payment program – which encourages CalWORKs youth to attain a high school diploma with a $500 cash bonus. It is serving as a model for the rest of the state to follow.”
PRIOR LEGISLATION:
AB 227 (Mayes), 2017, would create the CalWORKs Educational Opportunity and Attainment Program to offer education grants and/or stipends to eligible CalWORKs participants who complete certain educational programs. It is currently in the Senate Human Services Committee.
AB 273 (Aguiar-Curry), Chapter 689, Statutes of 2017, clarified that engagement in English language and high school or high school equivalency educational programs meets criteria for establishing eligibility for subsidized child care programs.
AB 818 (Burke), Chapter 141, Statutes of 2017, clarified that a high school education or its equivalent, and education obtained subsequent to the acquisition of a high school diploma or its equivalent, is presumed to meaningfully increase the likelihood of employment for purposes of a recipient requesting an extension of the CalWORKs 24-month clock.
AB 1604 (Nazarian), Chapter 303, Statutes of 2017, permitted a CalWORKs recipient to participate in a high school equivalency program prior to participation in other specified CalWORKs activities.
SB 89 (Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review), Chapter 24, Statutes of 2017, among a number of other things, created the CalWORKs Educational Opportunity and Attainment Program, which provides CalWORKs recipients with a one-time education incentive award of $500 for completion of a high school diploma or its equivalent, and authorizes a CalWORKs recipient to apply to receive a one-time education stipend totaling $1,000 for enrollment in an education or training program leading to a career technical education program certificate, an associate's degree, or a bachelor's degree.
AB 1994 (Lopez), 2016, would have created the CalED program to provide a one-time $500 supplement to eligible CalWORKs participants upon successful completion of a high school equivalency examination. It died in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 2058 (Mayes), 2016, would have created the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Educational Opportunity and Attainment Program to offer education grants to eligible CalWORKs participants who complete certain educational programs. It died in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 2448 (Burke), 2016, would have changed CalWORKs requirements regarding permissible welfare-to-work activities to facilitate a recipient’s completion of a high school equivalency program. It was vetoed by the Governor.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
American Academy of Pediatrics, CA
Coalition of CA Welfare Rights Organizations
County Welfare Directors Association of CA - sponsor
National Association of Social Workers, CA Chapter
Western Center on Law and Poverty
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by: Daphne Hunt / HUM. S. / (916) 319-2089
Discussed in Hearing
7MIN
Assembly Standing Committee on Human Services
Bill Author
Bill Co-Author(s):