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 EBT system to limit the purchase of food through an online transaction only to retailers that are authorized to accept CalFresh benefits by the United States Department of Agriculture and that comply with various requirements, including, providing reasonable access to exchange food within 4 hours of receipt of the food. This bill would also require the State Department of Social Services, in consultation with the Office of Systems Integration and other relevant stakeholders, to establish the qualifications, processes, and standards required to certify and recertify retailers as eligible to accept payments online using cash benefits and to determine the allowable online purchases that may be made using cash benefits. The bill would require the department to issue an all-county letter or similar guidance by January 1, 2021, describing the qualifications, process, and standards developed.