Administration of public social services: blocked telephone calls.

Existing law establishes the State Department of Social Services and requires the department and the counties to administer public social services programs. This bill would prohibit a call, made by or on behalf of a county for the purposes of administering public social services programs, to an applicant or recipient of benefits from blocking caller identification information and would require the call to display a telephone number. By imposing a higher level of service on counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.