Bill Full Text
Home
-
Bills
-
Bill
-
Authors
-
Dates
-
Locations
-
Analyses
-
Organizations
<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<ns0:MeasureDoc xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:ns0="http://lc.ca.gov/legalservices/schemas/caml.1#" xmlns:ns3="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" version="1.0" xsi:schemaLocation="http://lc.ca.gov/legalservices/schemas/caml.1# xca.1.xsd">
<ns0:Description>
<ns0:Id>20250SB__096199INT</ns0:Id>
<ns0:VersionNum>99</ns0:VersionNum>
<ns0:History>
<ns0:Action>
<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-02-03</ns0:ActionDate>
</ns0:Action>
</ns0:History>
<ns0:LegislativeInfo>
<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
<ns0:SessionNum>0</ns0:SessionNum>
<ns0:MeasureType>SB</ns0:MeasureType>
<ns0:MeasureNum>961</ns0:MeasureNum>
<ns0:MeasureState>INT</ns0:MeasureState>
</ns0:LegislativeInfo>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Ashby</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR_OPPOSITE">(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Tangipa)</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>LEAD_AUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>SENATE</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Ashby</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Legislator>
<ns0:Contribution>PRINCIPAL_COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Tangipa</ns0:Name>
</ns0:Legislator>
</ns0:Authors>
<ns0:Title> An act to amend Section 18901.12 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to CalFresh. </ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>CalFresh</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>CalFresh: student eligibility.</ns0:Subject>
</ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:DigestText>
<html:p>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. Under existing state law, households are eligible to receive CalFresh benefits to the extent permitted by federal law. Existing federal law provides that students who are enrolled in college or other institutions of higher education at least half-time are not eligible for SNAP benefits unless they meet one of several specified exemptions, including participating in an employment and training program for low-income households that is operated by a state or local government, as specified. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, on or before May 31, 2022, to issue a guidance letter to counties,
the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges, the Chancellor’s office of the California State University, and the Office of the President of the University of California that clarifies the state and federal eligibility requirements for a campus-based program to be a state-approved local educational programs that increases employability that qualifies for the CalFresh student eligibility exemption and that clarifies the application and approval process for a campus-based program to be approved by the department as a state-approved local educational program that increases employability.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.</html:p>
</ns0:DigestText>
<ns0:DigestKey>
<ns0:VoteRequired>MAJORITY</ns0:VoteRequired>
<ns0:Appropriation>NO</ns0:Appropriation>
<ns0:FiscalCommittee>NO</ns0:FiscalCommittee>
<ns0:LocalProgram>NO</ns0:LocalProgram>
</ns0:DigestKey>
<ns0:MeasureIndicators>
<ns0:ImmediateEffect>NO</ns0:ImmediateEffect>
<ns0:ImmediateEffectFlags>
<ns0:Urgency>NO</ns0:Urgency>
<ns0:TaxLevy>NO</ns0:TaxLevy>
<ns0:Election>NO</ns0:Election>
<ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>NO</ns0:UsualCurrentExpenses>
<ns0:BudgetBill>NO</ns0:BudgetBill>
<ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>NO</ns0:Prop25TrailerBill>
</ns0:ImmediateEffectFlags>
</ns0:MeasureIndicators>
</ns0:Description>
<ns0:Bill id="bill">
<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_269AC589-1715-4A00-98C5-77DC51BB8428">
<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:ActionLine action="IS_AMENDED" ns3:type="locator" ns3:href="urn:caml:codes:WIC:caml#xpointer(%2Fcaml%3ALawDoc%2Fcaml%3ACode%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'DIVISION'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'9.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'PART'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'6.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawHeading%5B%40type%3D'CHAPTER'%20and%20caml%3ANum%3D'10.'%5D%2Fcaml%3ALawSection%5Bcaml%3ANum%3D'18901.12.'%5D)" ns3:label="fractionType: LAW_SECTION">
Section 18901.12 of the
<ns0:DocName>Welfare and Institutions Code</ns0:DocName>
is amended to read:
</ns0:ActionLine>
<ns0:Fragment>
<ns0:LawSection id="id_4BCB453D-58D2-4DC4-8412-66E170BEAA6C">
<ns0:Num>18901.12.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:LawSectionVersion id="id_570C2633-35A9-4ED8-8A03-E6BB733F7EAF">
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
On or before May 31, 2022, the department shall issue a guidance letter to counties, the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges, the Chancellor’s office of the California State University, and the Office of the President of the University of California that does both of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Clarifies the state and federal eligibility requirements for a campus-based program to be a state-approved local educational program that increases employability that qualifies for the student exemption for CalFresh eligibility, as described in Section
273.5(b)(11)(iv) of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and is consistent with Section 273.7(e)(1) of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Clarifies the application and approval process for a campus-based program to be approved by the department as a state-approved local educational program that increases employability, as described in paragraph (1), including, but not limited to, clarifying the supporting documents required for program approval.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A campus-based program at a campus of the California Community Colleges or at a campus of the California State University that meets the eligibility requirements to be a state-approved local educational program that increases employability, as established by the department’s guidance letter issued pursuant to subdivision (a), shall submit a certification application for the program to the
department on or before September 1, 2022. If the campus-based program is available at more than one campus, the application shall list each campus at which the program is available. An individual campus administration, the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges, or the Chancellor’s office of the California State University, as applicable, may submit the certification application on behalf of the campus-based program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A campus-based program at a campus of the University of California that meets the eligibility requirements to be a state-approved local educational program that increases employability, as established by the department’s guidance letter issued pursuant to subdivision (a), is requested to submit a certification application for the program to the department on or before September 1, 2022. If the campus-based program is available at more than one campus, the application shall list each campus at which the
program is available. An individual campus administration or the Office of the President of the University of California may submit the certification application on behalf of the campus-based program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A campus-based program that meets the eligibility requirements to be a state-approved local educational program that increases employability after September 1, 2022, at a campus of the California Community Colleges or the California State University shall submit a certification application to the department on or before six months following the formation of the program. If the campus-based program is available at more than one campus, the application shall list each campus at which the program is available. An individual campus administration, the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges, or the Chancellor’s office of the California State University, as applicable, may submit the certification
application on behalf of the campus-based program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
A campus-based program that meets the eligibility requirements to be a state-approved local educational program that increases employability after September 1, 2022, at a campus of the University of California is requested to submit a certification application to the department on or before six months following the formation of the program. If the campus-based program is available at more than one campus, the application shall list each campus at which the program is available. An individual campus administration or the Office of the President of the University of California may submit the certification application on behalf of the campus-based program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(d)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Upon receipt of a certification application from a campus-based program pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c), the department shall approve the campus-based program if it
meets the eligibility requirements to be a state-approved local educational program that increases employability, as established in the department’s guidance letter issued pursuant to subdivision (a).
</html:p>
<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
On or before September 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, until 2030, the department shall report all of the following information to the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, the Assembly Committee on Human Services, the Senate Committee on Education, and the Senate Committee on Human Services:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The number of
state-approved campus-based local educational programs that increase employability that are approved pursuant to subdivision (d), disaggregated by name and campus.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The number of pending applications, disaggregated by name and campus.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The number of applications denied, disaggregated by name and campus, and the reason for the denials.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The department shall also post the report described in paragraph (1) on its internet website.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(f)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may implement and administer this section through all-county letters or similar instructions that shall have the same
force and effect as regulations.
</html:p>
</ns0:Content>
</ns0:LawSectionVersion>
</ns0:LawSection>
</ns0:Fragment>
</ns0:BillSection>
</ns0:Bill>
</ns0:MeasureDoc>