CalFresh: victims of domestic violence.

Existing federal law provides for the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, formerly the Food Stamp Program, 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 authorizes a resident of a shelter for battered women and children, as defined, who is currently included in a certified household that also contains the abuser, to apply and, if otherwise eligible, receive an additional allotment of benefits as a separate household. Existing federal law requires a county human services agency to provide CalFresh expedited services to certain households. This bill would, to the extent permitted by federal law, regulations, waivers, and directives, authorize a resident of, or an individual on a waiting list to get into, a shelter for battered women and children who is currently included in a certified household that also contains the abuser, to apply for, and, if otherwise eligible, would provide that the resident or individual is entitled to, expedited services of an additional allotment of CalFresh benefits as a separate household. By imposing additional duties on local officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services to develop and make available to homeless shelters, among other locations, CalFresh information on expedited services targeted to the homeless population. Existing law requires each county welfare department, upon request, to provide homeless shelters with a supply of CalFresh applications used to request expedited CalFresh services, as specified. This bill would additionally require the department to develop and make available to domestic violence shelters CalFresh information on expedited services targeted to victims of domestic violence. The bill would also require a county human services agency, upon request, to provide domestic violence shelters with a supply of CalFresh applications used to request expedited CalFresh services, as specified. By imposing additional duties on local officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law authorizes counties to participate in the CalFresh Employment and Training program (CalFresh E&T) , established by federal law, and requires participating counties to screen CalFresh work registrants to determine whether they will participate in, or be deferred from, CalFresh E&T. Existing law defers from mandatory placement in CalFresh E&T specified individuals, including an individual who is a veteran who has been honorably discharged from the United States Army. This bill would additionally defer from mandatory placement in CalFresh E&T, an individual who is a victim of domestic violence. 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.