Electronic benefits transfer system.

Existing federal law provides for the 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 the Secretary of Agriculture to approve retail food stores to accept CalFresh benefits through online transactions if the secretary implements this program after a required demonstration project. Existing law provides for the establishment of a statewide electronic benefits transfer (EBT) system, administered by the State Department of Social Services, for the purpose of providing financial and food assistance benefits. Existing law authorizes a county to deliver CalFresh benefits through the use of the EBT system. This bill would require the department to convene a workgroup of interested stakeholders no later than February 1, 2021, to review online purchases using the EBT system, and to make recommendations to the department to ensure that consumer protections are in place for individuals making online purchases using the EBT system. The bill would also require the department to provide the workgroup technical assistance and assign staff to assist the workgroup in carrying out its responsibilities. The bill would authorize individual members of the workgroup, and any other stakeholder, to make additional recommendations on any item considered by the workgroup. The bill would require the department to review and analyze all recommendations and, by December 1, 2021, report to the Legislature regarding the recommendations. The bill would authorize the workgroup to continue meeting from January 1, 2022, to January 1, 2023, to develop recommendations on additional topics and assist the department, the Legislature, or both, on any topic relating to the EBT system.