CalWORKs eligibility: immunizations.

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. Under existing law, all applicants for or recipients of CalWORKs are required to ensure and provide documentation that each child in the assistance unit who is not required to be enrolled in school has received all age-appropriate immunizations, unless it has been medically determined that an immunization for the child is not appropriate or the applicant or recipient has filed with the county welfare department an affidavit that the immunizations are contrary to the applicant's or recipient's beliefs. This bill would, commencing July 1, 2016, instead require the applicant or recipient to ensure that each child in the assistance unit who is not required to be enrolled in school has received all age-appropriate immunizations. The bill would also authorize the county to review the California Immunization Registry in lieu of initially requesting verification of an immunization before requiring the applicant or recipient to provide documentation that the immunization has been performed. 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.