CalFresh: eligibility: shelter expense deductions.

Existing federal 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. Under existing law, the State Department of Social Services is charged with state administration of the CalFresh program. Federal and state regulations establish allowable income deductions for the purpose of establishing CalFresh eligibility, including a deduction for excess shelter costs, as specified. This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to issue guidance to county human services agencies to establish that shelter costs reported by an applicant or recipient on a signed CalFresh application or semiannual report form is sufficient for the purpose of determining the applicant's or recipient's excess shelter costs deduction, and to prohibit county human services agencies from requesting additional documents to verify excess shelter costs, except as specified. The bill would authorize the department to implement and administer its provisions through all-county letters or similar instructions. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.