CalWORKs: pregnant women.

Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states. Existing law 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 law provides that when a family does not include a needy child qualified for aid under CalWORKs, aid shall be paid to a pregnant mother for the month in which the birth is anticipated and for the 3-month period immediately prior to the month in which the birth is anticipated. This bill would, beginning July 1, 2015, instead provide that when a family does not include a needy child qualified for aid under CalWORKs, aid shall be paid to a pregnant woman for the month in which the birth is anticipated and for the 6-month period immediately prior to the month in which the birth is anticipated. The bill would also authorize these provisions to be implemented by means of all-county letters or similar instructions until regulations are adopted. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill.