(a) Counties shall redetermine recipient eligibility and grant amounts on a semiannual basis in a prospective manner, using reasonably anticipated income consistent with Section 5 of the federal Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. Sec. 2014(f)(3)(A)) and any subsequent amendments thereto, implementing regulations, and any waivers obtained by the department pursuant to Section 18910. Counties shall use the information reported on a recipient’s semiannual report form or annual certificate of eligibility required pursuant to Section 11265 to prospectively determine eligibility and the grant amount for each semiannual reporting period.
(b) A semiannual reporting period shall be six consecutive calendar months. In addition to the annual certificate of eligibility required pursuant to Section 11265, a semiannual report form shall be required during the first semiannual reporting period following the application or annual redetermination.
(c) (1) The recipient shall submit a semiannual report form during the first semiannual reporting period following the application or annual redetermination of eligibility.
(2) Counties shall provide a semiannual report form to recipients at the end of the fifth month of the semiannual reporting period, and recipients shall return the completed semiannual report form with required verification to the county by the 11th day of the sixth month of the semiannual reporting period.
(3) The semiannual report form shall be signed under penalty of perjury, and shall include only the information necessary to determine CalWORKs and CalFresh eligibility and calculate the CalWORKs grant amount and CalFresh allotment, as specified by the department. The form shall be written in language that is as understandable as possible for recipients and shall require recipients to provide the following:
(A) Information about income received during the fifth month of the semiannual reporting period.
(B) Any other changes to facts required to be reported. The recipient shall provide verification as specified by the department with the semiannual report form.
(4) The semiannual report form shall be considered complete if the following requirements, as specified by the department, are met:
(A) The form is signed no earlier than the first day of the sixth month of the semiannual reporting period by the persons specified by the department.
(B) All questions and items pertaining to CalWORKs and CalFresh eligibility and grant amounts are answered.
(C) Verification required by the department is provided.
(5) If a recipient fails to submit a complete semiannual report form, as described in paragraph (4), by the 11th day of the sixth month of the semiannual reporting period, the county shall provide the recipient with a notice that the county will terminate benefits at the end of the month. Prior to terminating benefits, the county shall attempt to make personal contact by a county worker to remind the recipient that a completed report is due or, if contact is not made, shall send a reminder notice to the recipient no later than five days prior to the end of the month. Any discontinuance notice shall be rescinded if a complete report is received by the end of the first working day of the first month of the following semiannual reporting period.
(6) The county may determine, at any time prior to the last day of the calendar month following discontinuance for nonsubmission of a semiannual report form, that a recipient had good cause for failing to submit a complete semiannual report form, as described in paragraph (4), by the end of the first working day of the month following discontinuance. If the county finds a recipient had good cause, as defined by the department, it shall rescind the discontinuance notice. Good cause exists only when the recipient cannot reasonably be expected to fulfill his or her reporting responsibilities due to factors outside of the recipient’s control.
(d) Administrative savings that may be reflected in the annual Budget Act due to the implementation of semiannual reporting pursuant to the act that added this section shall not exceed the amount necessary to fund the net General Fund and TANF costs of the semiannual reporting provisions of that act. Possible additional savings in excess of this amount may only be reflected in the annual Budget Act to the extent that they are based on actual savings related to the change to semiannual reporting calculated based on data developed in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA).
(e) The department, in consultation with the CWDA, shall update the relevant policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature as information becomes available regarding the effects upon the program efficiency of implementation of semiannual reporting requirements set forth in Section 11004.1. The update shall be based on data collected by CWDA and select counties. The department, in consultation with CWDA, shall determine the data collection needs required to assess the effects of the semiannual reporting.
(f) Counties may establish staggered semiannual reporting cycles for individual recipients, based on factors established or approved by the department, provided the semiannual reporting cycle is aligned with the annual redetermination of eligibility; however, all recipients within a county must be transitioned to a semiannual reporting system simultaneously. Up to and until the establishment of a countywide semiannual system, counties shall operate a quarterly system, as established by law and regulation applicable immediately prior to the establishment of the semiannual reporting system.
(g) (1) This section shall become operative on April 1, 2013. A county shall implement the semiannual reporting requirements in accordance with the act that added this section no later than October 1, 2013.
(2) Upon implementation described in paragraph (1), each county shall provide a certificate to the director certifying that semiannual reporting has been implemented in the county.
(3) Upon filing the certificate described in paragraph (2), a county shall comply with the semiannual reporting provisions of this section.
(Amended (as added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 501, Sec. 7) by Stats. 2013, Ch. 21, Sec. 16. (AB 74) Effective June 27, 2013.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018