Bill > AB1359

This bill amends existing law to ensure that individuals applying for CalFresh, a federal program providing food assistance, receive benefits quickly if they are in immediate need. Specifically, it mandates that county human services agencies must screen all CalFresh applications to determine eligibility for expedited service, as defined by federal regulations (Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Section 273.2(i)). Applicants who meet these federal criteria for expedited service must receive their CalFresh benefits, either through a manual authorization, an automated card, or immediate issuance, no later than three days after they apply, with weekends counting as one day. To facilitate this, the bill states that income from any source should be considered uncertain and exempt from consideration when determining eligibility for expedited service, to the greatest extent allowed by federal law. Furthermore, the State Department of Social Services will create a standardized process for verifying applicant information for these expedited cases.