California 2019-2020 Regular Session Status: Passed Assembly 1 D cosponsors

AB 987 — CalWORKs: special diet and food preparation allowance.

Last action — In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Assembly” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law requires each county to provide cash assistance and other social services to needy families through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program using federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families block grant program, state, and county funds. Existing law specifies the amounts of cash aid to be paid each month to CalWORKs recipients, including a recurring special needs allowance of up to $10 per month for each eligible recipient. Under existing law, recurring special needs includes special diets upon the recommendation of a physician for circumstances other than pregnancy, and unusual costs of transportation, laundry, housekeeping services, telephone, and utilities. This bill would include food preparation within the list of unusual costs for purposes of the recurring special needs allowance. The bill would provide that the reasons for which a county shall grant a recurring special needs allowance for a special diet include, but are not limited to, verified lack of access to potable water and a child recipient having an elevated blood lead level, as specified. The bill would prohibit a county from requiring the recommendation of a physician regarding a special diet if there is a verified lack of access to potable water, and would authorize a county to waive the requirement if the county has reason to believe that there is a lack of access to potable water. The bill would, commencing on December 1, 2023, or on the date that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation for this purpose, whichever date is later, require the recurring special allowance for special diets to be provided in the form of a supplemental food benefit and prohibit the special diets allowance from being considered income for the purposes of determining eligibility or amount of aid for any state or local means-tested public benefit program. By increasing the administrative duties of counties administering the CalWORKs program, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services to implement this act by all-county letters or similar instructions beginning no later than October 1, 2020, until regulations are adopted on or before October 1, 2022. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would 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.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  2. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  3. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (July 8).

  4. In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

  5. Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.

  6. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  7. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 75. Noes 0. Page 2040.)

  8. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  9. Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  10. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 18. Noes 0.) (May 16).

  11. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  12. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  13. Read second time and amended.

  14. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 26).

  15. Referred to Com. on HUM. S.

  16. From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.

  17. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 120 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

  • Mathis

Not signed on (120)

120 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

AB 987 Robert Rivas Assembly Third Reading

Passed 75 Yea · 0 Nay · 5 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 47005
Democratic 22000
Republican 6000
Total 75005
% of votes cast 94%0%0%6%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Fong — Yea
Brough — Yea
Kiley — Yea
Mayes — Yea
Salas — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Frazier — Yea
Bigelow — Yea
Smith — Yea
Cunningham — Yea
Gonzalez — Yea
Diep — Yea
Chau — Yea
Gloria — Yea
Bloom — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Obernolte — Yea
Voepel — Yea
Chiu — Yea
Holden — Yea
Daly — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Mullin — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Kamlager-Dove — Yea
Levine — Yea
Melendez — Yea
McCarty — Yea
Low — Yea
Nazarian — Yea
Burke — Yea
Cooper — Yea
Wood — Yea
Medina — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Chu — Yea
O'Donnell — Yea
Weber — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Gray — Not Voting
Cooley — Not Voting
Ting — Not Voting
Eggman — Not Voting
Cristina Garcia — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Not Voting
Jim Patterson — Yea
Luz Rivas — Yea
Mark Stone — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Choi, Steven S. Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended.

Passed 18 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 7000
Unaffiliated 11000
Total 18000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (18)
Member Party Vote
Bloom — Yea
Brough — Yea
Obernolte — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Bigelow — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Gonzalez — Yea
Diep — Yea
Chau — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

housing healthcare labor
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Frequently asked questions

What does AB 987 do?
Existing law requires each county to provide cash assistance and other social services to needy families through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program using federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families block grant program, state, and county funds. Existing law specifies the amounts of cash aid to be paid each month to CalWORKs recipients, including a recurring special needs allowance of up to $10 per month for each eligible recipient. Under existing law, recurring special needs includes special diets upon the recommendation of a physician for circumstances other than pregnancy, and unusual costs of transportation, laundry, housekeeping services, telephone, and utilities. This bill would include food preparation within the list of unusual costs for purposes of the recurring special needs allowance. The bill would provide that the reasons for which a county shall grant a recurring special needs allowance for a special diet include, but are not limited to, verified lack of access to potable water and a child recipient having an elevated blood lead level, as specified. The bill would prohibit a county from requiring the recommendation of a physician regarding a special diet if there is a verified lack of access to potable water, and would authorize a county to waive the requirement if the county has reason to believe that there is a lack of access to potable water. The bill would, commencing on December 1, 2023, or on the date that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation for this purpose, whichever date is later, require the recurring special allowance for special diets to be provided in the form of a supplemental food benefit and prohibit the special diets allowance from being considered income for the purposes of determining eligibility or amount of aid for any state or local means-tested public benefit program. By increasing the administrative duties of counties administering the CalWORKs program, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services to implement this act by all-county letters or similar instructions beginning no later than October 1, 2020, until regulations are adopted on or before October 1, 2022. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would 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.
Who sponsors AB 987?
AB 987 is sponsored by Rivas, Robert (Democratic) and Mathis.
What is the current status of AB 987?
This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Assembly” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track AB 987?
Track AB 987 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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