CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2052

Introduced by Assembly Member Quirk-Silva

February 14, 2022

An act to amend Section 11253 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to CalWORKs.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2052, as introduced, Quirk-Silva. CalWORKs Child Education Act of 2022.
Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals. Existing law prohibits the granting of CalWORKs aid to a child who has attained 18 years of age unless the child is less than 19 years of age, is attending high school or vocational training on a full-time basis, and is reasonably expected to complete the educational or training program before the child’s 19th birthday.
This bill would extend this exception to make a person who is less than 20 years of age eligible for CalWORKs assistance if the child is attending high school or vocational training on a full-time basis and is reasonably expected to complete the educational or training program before the child’s 20th birthday. By expanding eligibility for CalWORKs, which is administered by counties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program.
This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill.
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.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 This act shall be known and may be cited as the CalWORKs Child Education Act of 2022.

SEC. 2.

 Section 11253 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

11253.
 (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), aid shall not be granted under this chapter to or on behalf of any child who has attained 18 years of age unless all of the following apply:
(1)  The child is less than 19 20 years of age and is attending high school or the equivalent level of vocational or technical training on a full-time basis.
(2) The child can reasonably be expected to complete the educational or training program before the child’s 19th 20th birthday.
(b) (1) On and after January 1, 2012, aid Aid shall be granted under this chapter to or on behalf of any nonminor dependent, as defined in subdivision (v) of Section 11400, if the nonminor dependent is placed in the approved home of a relative under the supervision of the county child welfare or probation department or Indian tribe that has entered into an agreement pursuant to Section 10553.1, and the nonminor dependent otherwise is eligible pursuant to Section 11403.
(2) The eligible nonminor dependent shall be exempt from identity verification requirements for the CalWORKs program.
(c) Notwithstanding any other law, payment of aid under this chapter may be made out of state if the nonminor dependent who is described in subdivision (b) is placed in the approved home of a relative who resides in another state.

SEC. 3.

  No appropriation pursuant to Section 15200 of the Welfare and Institutions Code shall be made for purposes of implementing this act.

SEC. 4.

 If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.