SENIOR ASSEMBLY PROPOSAL NO. 13

INTRODUCED BY SENIOR ASSEMBLY MEMBER SERRIN

 

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AP 13: SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

UNDER EXISTING LAW, THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP), FORMERLY THE FEDERAL FOOD STAMP PROGRAM, PROVIDES BENEFITS TO LOW-INCOME PERSONS TO ENABLE THEM TO BUY FOOD. THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ADMINISTERS SNAP AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THROUGH ITS FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE. IN CALIFORNIA, ADMINISTRATION OF THE SNAP PROGRAM IS A COUNTY WELFARE DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITY, SUBJECT TO THE REGULATORY AND RULEMAKING AUTHORITY OF THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES. UNDER EXISTING LAW, A COMMUNAL DINING FACILITY, WHICH IS A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE NONPROFIT ESTABLISHMENT THAT PREPARES AND SERVES MEALS FOR ELDERLY PERSONS AND THEIR SPOUSES OR FOR SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME RECIPIENTS AND THEIR SPOUSES, IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE TO BECOME AN AUTHORIZED “RETAIL FOOD STORE” PARTICIPANT IN SNAP.

THIS MEASURE WOULD MEMORIALIZE THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR TO ENACT LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, IN COMBINATION WITH THE COUNTY WELFARE DEPARTMENTS, TO CONTACT ALL SENIOR CENTERS IN THE STATE TO ASCERTAIN IF THEY HAVE A MEALS PROGRAM AND, IF SO, ADVISE THEM OF THEIR ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN SNAP, ENCOURAGE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN SNAP, MAKE AVAILABLE AN APPLICATION FOR MEAL SERVICE, AND PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION AND OBTAIN AN ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER POINT-OF-SALE DEVICE OR AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINE.

VOTE: MAJORITY.

 

AP 13: RELATING TO STATE ADMINISTRATION OF THE FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

WHEREAS, THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP), FORMERLY THE FEDERAL FOOD STAMP PROGRAM, HELPS 31 MILLION LOW-INCOME PERSONS BUY THE FOOD THEY NEED FOR GOOD HEALTH AND IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE FEDERAL FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS; AND
 

WHEREAS, IN CALIFORNIA, THE PROGRAM STILL GOES BY THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM NAME AND IT WILL REQUIRE STATUTORY CHANGES TO RENAME THE PROGRAM; AND

WHEREAS, THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ADMINISTERS THE SNAP AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THROUGH ITS FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE, WHILE STATE AGENCIES ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM AT STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS, INCLUDING DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY AND ALLOTMENTS, AND DISTRIBUTION OF BENEFITS; AND

WHEREAS, UNDER CALIFORNIA LAW, ADMINISTRATION OF THE SNAP PROGRAM IS A COUNTY WELFARE DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITY, SUBJECT TO THE REGULATORY AND RULEMAKING AUTHORITY OF THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES; AND

WHEREAS, ACCORDING TO RESEARCH CONDUCTED ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE RELATIVE TO THE ECONOMIC EFFECT OF THE FEDERAL FOOD STAMP PROGRAM, EVERY DOLLAR OF ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FOOD STAMP BENEFITS RESULTED IN $1.84 OF LOCAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY; AND

WHEREAS, IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN SNAP, HOUSEHOLDS MUST MEET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENT THAT HOUSEHOLDS WITH A MEMBER OVER 60 YEARS OF AGE OR THAT IS DISABLED HAVE A NET INCOME OF 100 PERCENT OR LESS OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINES, AND PROVIDE VERIFIED INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR HOUSEHOLD CIRCUMSTANCES; AND

WHEREAS, THE AVERAGE GROSS MONTHLY INCOME PER SNAP HOUSEHOLD IS $673, MEANING THAT THE PROGRAM IS TARGETED TO THE MOST NEEDY; AND WHEREAS, NINE PERCENT OF SNAP PARTICIPANTS ARE 60 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AND 16 PERCENT OF SNAP BENEFITS GO TO HOUSEHOLDS WITH DISABLED PERSONS; AND

WHEREAS, ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS ARE ISSUED A MONTHLY ALLOTMENT OF SNAP BENEFITS BASED ON THE THRIFTY FOOD PLAN, A LOW-COST MODEL DIET PLAN IS BASED ON NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES’ RECOMMENDED DIETARY ALLOWANCES, AND ON FOOD CHOICES OF LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS; AND

WHEREAS, AN INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD’S SNAP ALLOTMENT IS EQUAL TO THE MAXIMUM ALLOTMENT FOR THAT HOUSEHOLD’S SIZE, LESS 30 PERCENT OF THE HOUSEHOLD’S NET INCOME. HOUSEHOLDS WITH NO COUNTABLE INCOME RECEIVE THE MAXIMUM ALLOTMENT ($668 PER MONTH IN FISCAL YEAR 2009 FOR A HOUSEHOLD OF FOUR PEOPLE); AND

WHEREAS, THE AVERAGE MONTHLY BENEFIT WAS ABOUT $101 PER PERSON AND ABOUT $227 PER HOUSEHOLD IN THE 2008 FISCAL YEAR; AND

WHEREAS, PAPER FOOD STAMPS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH ELECTRONIC BENEFIT TRANSFER (EBT) CARD; AND

WHEREAS, AN EBT CARD IS A PLASTIC CARD SIMILAR TO A BANK DEBIT CARD AND ELECTRONICALLY TRANSFERS FUNDS FROM A SNAP BENEFITS ACCOUNT TO A RETAILER’S ACCOUNT. WITH AN EBT CARD, SNAP CUSTOMERS PAY FOR GROCERIES WITHOUT ANY PAPER COUPONS CHANGING HANDS; AND

WHEREAS, EBT CARDS ELIMINATE PAPER COUPONS AND CREATE AN ELECTRONIC RECORD FOR EACH TRANSACTION THAT MAKES FRAUD EASIER TO DETECT; AND

WHEREAS, WHILE EBT CARDS EASE ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM AND ASSIST IN FRAUD PREVENTION, THE SWITCH OVER HAS HAD THE ADDITIONAL BENEFIT OF REDUCING THE POVERTY STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH USING FOOD STAMPS, SINCE THE EBT CARDS ARE INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM OTHER ELECTRONIC PURCHASES; AND

WHEREAS, SNAP BENEFITS CAN BE USED TO PURCHASE FOOD ITEMS, INCLUDING BREADS, CEREALS, FRUITS, VEGETABLES, MEATS FISH, POULTRY; AND DAIRY PRODUCTS, AND CANNOT BE USED TO PURCHASE BEER, WINE, LIQUOR, CIGARETTES, TOBACCO PRODUCTS, VITAMINS, MEDICINES, FOOD THAT WILL BE EATEN IN THE STORE, OR HOT FOOD ITEMS; AND

WHEREAS, A COMMUNAL DINING FACILITY, WHICH IS A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE NONPROFIT ESTABLISHMENT THAT PREPARES AND SERVES MEALS FOR ELDERLY PERSONS AND THEIR SPOUSES OR FOR SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME RECIPIENTS AND THEIR SPOUSES, ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE TO BECOME AN AUTHORIZED “RETAIL FOOD STORE” PARTICIPANT IN SNAP; AND

WHEREAS, IN ADDITION, A MEAL DELIVERY SERVICE, WHICH IS A PUBLIC OR PRIVATE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT PREPARES AND DELIVERS MEALS TO ELDERLY PERSONS AND THEIR SPOUSES OR TO THE PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY RESTRICTED AND THEIR SPOUSES, IS ALSO ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE TO BECOME AN AUTHORIZED PARTICIPANT IN SNAP; AND

WHEREAS, HOWEVER, THE FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE 2008 ANNUAL REPORT TITLED “PUTTING HEALTHY FOOD WITHIN REACH” REPORTED THAT ONLY 39 COMMUNAL DINING FACILITIES AND 17 MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED TO PARTICIPATE IN SNAP IN THE WESTERN REGION (ALASKA, ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, GUAM, HAWAII, IDAHO, NEVADA, OREGON, AND WASHINGTON); AND

WHEREAS, A MAJOR FACTOR LIMITING PARTICIPATION BY COMMUNAL DINING FACILITIES AND MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES IS A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF THEIR ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM; AND

WHEREAS, SENIOR CENTERS ARE A VALUABLE BUT UNDERUTILIZED RESOURCE IN CALIFORNIA, PROVIDING HEALTHY NUTRITIOUS MEALS, SOCIAL INTERACTION, AND SOCIAL AND INFORMATIONAL RESOURCES; AND

WHEREAS, THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AS THE STATE ENTITY WITH OVERALL DELEGATED RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADMINISTRATION OF SNAP, AND THE COUNTY WELFARE DEPARTMENTS, AS THE FRONTLINE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE PROGRAM IN CALIFORNIA, SHOULD ACTIVELY SEEK OUT AND RECRUIT SENIOR CENTERS THAT PROVIDE COMMUNAL DINING FACILITIES AND MEALS-ON-WHEELS PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE MEAL DELIVERY SERVICE TO PARTICIPATE IN SNAP; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT

RESOLVED, BY THE SENIOR ASSEMBLY AND THE SENIOR SENATE, JOINTLY, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AT ITS 2009 REGULAR SESSION, A MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS VOTING THEREFOR, HEREBY PROPOSES THAT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, IN COMBINATION WITH THE COUNTY WELFARE DEPARTMENTS, BE REQUIRED TO CONTACT ALL SENIOR CENTERS IN THE STATE TO ASCERTAIN IF THEY HAVE A MEALS PROGRAM AND, IF SO, ADVISE THEM OF THEIR ABILITY TO PARTICIPATE IN SNAP, ENCOURAGE THEIR PARTICIPATION IN SNAP, MAKE AVAILABLE AN APPLICATION FOR MEAL SERVICE (FORM FNS-252-2), AND PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION AND OBTAIN AN EBT POINT OF SALE DEVICE OR AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT THE SENIOR LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA RESPECTFULLY MEMORIALIZES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO ENACT APPROPRIATE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERNS SET FORTH IN THIS MEASURE; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT A COPY OF THIS MEASURE BE TRANSMITTED TO THE SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE, AND THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

RN 09 16557

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