Welfare and Institutions Code section 18900.96
(a)
It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to provide direction to the state and counties to maximize efforts to retain in the program as many eligible CalFresh recipients as possible as Public Law 119-21 is implemented. It is further the intent of the Legislature to provide for the continuation of food benefits for as many Californians as possible who may become ineligible for CalFresh benefits due to the enactment of Public Law 119-21.(b)
It is the intent of the Legislature to implement Public Law 119-21 using all of the following principles:(1)
Mitigate harm and minimize client impacts and discontinuances of benefits whenever possible.(2)
Use data and research to inform decisions, monitor impacts, and make adjustments when necessary. This step includes, but is not limited to, using administrative data to streamline the verification of compliance with, and exemptions from, the CalFresh time limit and corresponding able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) work requirements whenever possible.(3)
Consult with affected groups to obtain input and feedback, including, but not limited to, current and former CalFresh recipients, counties, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, representatives of county eligibility workers, community-based organizations, and advocates.(4)
Identify opportunities to improve existing processes in parallel with implementation efforts that center client and county user experience.(5)
To the maximum extent possible, support operational readiness to implement Public Law 119-21, including timely policy guidance, system automation, and the provision of county training and technical assistance.(c)
It is the intent of the Legislature, to the extent permitted by federal law and to the extent relevant administrative data are available, that the department shall, working with other state departments and the California Health and Human Services Agency, as necessary, adopt, provide instructions to counties on, and streamline the verification of, exemptions based on available administrative data for the populations listed in paragraphs (1) through (4) and others identified by the department. The department shall not infringe on, or impede, the ability of individuals to work or continue working.(1)
Individuals served under the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 4500)) by regional centers.(2)
Recipients of in-home supportive services under Article 7 (commencing with Section 12300) of Chapter 3 of Part 3 and their caregiver providers.(3)
Individuals who meet the CalFresh definition of homelessness or chronic homelessness if the county welfare department has also determined that the individual suffers from obvious physical or mental unfitness for work.(4)
(A)Individuals 24 years of age or younger who are, or were upon attaining 18 years of age, in foster care under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court as a dependent pursuant to Section 300, as a ward pursuant to Section 601 or 602, or as a transition dependent pursuant to Section 450, and who are unfit for work due to a documented behavioral or physical health condition as indicated in their case plan, medical billing claims data, or other appropriate documentation. This may include, but is not limited to, the following:(i)
Nonminor dependents, as defined in subdivision (v) of Section 11400, who remain in extended foster care and meet participation requirements pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 11403.(ii)
Nonminor former dependents or wards, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (aa) of Section 11400, who previously participated in the extended foster care program and met the participation requirements pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 11403 and the qualifying medical condition has not resolved.(B)
This paragraph shall become operative on the date when the department notifies the Legislature that a process has been established to provide administrative data to the California Statewide Automated Welfare System, and that the necessary changes have been automated to implement this paragraph.(d)
It is the intent of the Legislature that all exemptions to the ABAWD work requirements provided by the state and the counties under Public Law 119-21 shall, to the extent permitted by federal law and guidance, remain in effect for any recipient until, at the earliest, the next scheduled redetermination for that recipient, when the exemption shall be reassessed by the county, unless the automated exemption at redetermination allows for the exemption to continue.(e)
It is the intent of the Legislature that a recipient shall not be discontinued from the CalFresh program due to the ABAWD work requirements under Public Law 119-21 in California before October 1, 2026, or until both of the following administrative activities are complete, whichever is later:(1)
Completion of all automation necessary for the initial implementation of Public Law 119-21. This shall not preclude future additional automation and enhancements to streamline and support the ability of counties to support CalFresh applicants and recipients.(2)
Completion of functionality in the California Statewide Automated Welfare System necessary to support automated exemptions as identified by the state. This shall not preclude future additional automation and enhancements to streamline and support the automated exemption processes.(f)
(1)Unless the state is under a statewide waiver of the ABAWD time limit and corresponding work requirements, the department shall provide data on at least a semiannual basis to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature and all 58 county welfare departments, starting on January 15, 2027, on the total number of CalFresh recipients subject to, exempted from, or discontinued from the program potentially due to, the CalFresh ABAWD time limit and corresponding work requirements. The data, which shall not include personally identifiable information, shall also include information, as available, on the characteristics of individuals who may have lost CalFresh as a result of the time limit, including, but not limited to, demographic data about the individuals, and impacted households as appropriate, and, when applicable, explain the implementation of major new sources of administrative data supporting the verification of exemptions. The department shall develop the methodology in consultation with the County Welfare Directors Association of California. Prior to the first two reports, the data shall be furnished to impacted counties with a minimum of four weeks for review prior to public reporting in order to ensure accuracy.(2)
The department shall follow all applicable data-deidentification guidelines to prevent the reidentification of recipients described in this subdivision.(g)
(1)In addition to the populations identified in subdivision (f), the department shall provide data on at least a semiannual basis to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature and all 58 county welfare departments, starting on January 15, 2027, and until all relevant households have been discontinued from the CalFresh program, on the total number of CalFresh recipients discontinued from the program due to all other provisions of Public Law 119-21, including, but not limited to, the person’s immigration status under Public Law 119-21. The data, which shall not include personally identifiable information, shall also include as much detail as possible on the characteristics of persons discontinued from the CalFresh program as a result of Public Law 119-21, including, but not limited to, the reason for discontinuance and demographic data about the discontinued person and the other persons in their household, both of which shall be reported at the individual and household level.(2)
The department shall follow all applicable data-deidentification guidelines to prevent the reidentification of recipients described in this subdivision.(h)
(1)The department, in collaboration with other departments and the California Health and Human Services Agency, as necessary, shall adopt, provide instructions to counties on, and automate for, compliance with CalFresh work requirements, in accordance with federal law, for individuals participating in extended foster care and who have been determined to be working at least 80 hours per month pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 11403.(2)
Paragraph (1) shall become operative on the date when the department notifies the Legislature both that a process has been established to provide the data to the California Statewide Automated Welfare System and that the necessary changes have been automated to implement paragraph (1).
Source:
Section 18900.96, https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=WIC§ionNum=18900.96. (updated Sep. 18, 2026; accessed Sep. 28, 2026).
