(a) The department shall implement and maintain an automated, nonbiometric identity verification method in the CalWORKs program. It is the intent of the Legislature to codify additional details regarding this method so that recipients of aid, other than dependent children, will be required, as a condition of eligibility, to cooperate with this method.
(b) The department shall update the Legislature, no later than November 1, 2017, regarding options for the design, implementation, and maintenance of an automated, nonbiometric identity verification method in the CalWORKs program.
(c) The options developed under this section shall be for use in California counties and shall include procedures and a schedule for implementation.
(d) Prior to the update to the Legislature, the department shall do both of the following:
(1) Consult with stakeholders, including legislative staff, representatives of counties and county human services agencies, current or former CalWORKs clients, advocates for clients, and other stakeholders, as appropriate.
(2) Consider how any new methods of identity verification would impact applicant or recipient experiences and make application and eligibility practices more efficient.
(e) (1) A method implemented and maintained pursuant to this section shall be reviewed annually, with an update to the Legislature in the course of the annual spring budget subcommittee process, according to the following criteria:
(A) The extent to which the method improved identity verification and prevented duplicate aid.
(B) The extent to which the method improved the client experience.
(C) The extent to which the method aided in the efficiency and efficacy of the file clearance process.
(2) A method implemented and maintained pursuant to this section shall be evaluated, and a written report shall be submitted to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature, addressing the criteria in paragraph (1) by April 1, 2019.
(f) Notwithstanding any other law, contracts necessary pursuant to this section shall be exempt from both of the following:
(1) The personal services contracting requirements of Article 4 (commencing with Section 19130) of Chapter 5 of Part 2 of Division 5 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(2) The Public Contract Code and the State Contracting Manual. Contracts necessary pursuant to this section shall not be subject to the approval of the Department of General Services.
(g) Beginning in fiscal year 2018–19, any method implemented and maintained pursuant to this section shall only be operative in years in which funding is provided in the annual Budget Act for this purpose.
(Added by Stats. 2017, Ch. 24, Sec. 16. (SB 89) Effective June 27, 2017.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018