CalWORKs: welfare-to-work: exemption.

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. As part of the CalWORKs program, participants, unless specifically exempted, are required to participate in welfare-to-work activities. Existing law provides a one-time exemption from the welfare-to-work requirements to a parent or other relative who has primary responsibility for personally providing care to a child 6 months of age or under, as specified. Under existing law, an individual receiving that exemption is exempt for a period of 12 weeks, upon the birth or adoption of any subsequent children, which may be extended on a case-by-case basis to 6 months, based on criteria developed by the county. Existing law also provide a one-time exemption to a parent or other relative who has primary responsibility for personally providing care to one child from birth to 23 months, inclusive. This bill would replace the above-described exemptions with an exemption that is offered to a parent or other relative who has primary responsibility for personally providing care to a child 24 months of age or under, without limiting the exemption to one child or one instance. Existing law provides an exemption to a woman who is pregnant and for whom it has been medically verified that the pregnancy impairs her ability to be regularly employed or participate in welfare-to-work activities or the county has determined that, at that time, participation will not readily lead to employment or that a training activity is not appropriate. This bill would also provide an exemption to a pregnant woman who is the sole member of her assistance unit. The bill would make conforming changes to related provisions. By expanding the scope of the exemptions to include the above-described individuals, the bill would increase the duties of county employees, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the county human services agency, upon a determination that an individual is exempt from welfare-to-work activities, to provide that individual with a notice informing him or her of the exemption and that he or she has the right to volunteer to participate in welfare-to-work activities of his or her choice. The bill would require that the notice be accompanied by a form for the written welfare-to-work plan, with specified requirements on the county human services agency to assist the individual in participating in the activities and to approve the plan within 30 days of the individual indicating his or her wish to volunteer. By increasing the duties of county employees, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Under existing law, a parent or caretaker relative is not eligible for CalWORKs aid when he or she has received aid for a cumulative total of 48 months. Existing law further provides that any month in which specified conditions exist is not counted toward that 48-month time limit, including when a recipient is exempt from participation in welfare-to-work activities because he or she has primary responsibility for personally providing care to a child 24 months of age or younger. This bill would make conforming changes to that condition and would limit application of the condition to an eligible individual for a cumulative total of 24 months. The bill would authorize the State Department of Social Services to implement these provisions through an all-county letter or similar instruction, to be issued no later than April 1, 2019. 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.