CalFresh: school meals.

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 lunches and free 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 additionally 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 provide an applicant household that has children with information about how to enroll the children in the California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC Program) and the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs while the CalFresh application is pending and to inform the household 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 and School Breakfast Programs without further application. The bill would require the department to implement these provisions by all-county letters or similar instructions beginning no later than May 1, 2015, until regulations are adopted, and would require the department to adopt regulations on or before October 1, 2017. 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.