(a) Recipients of aid under this chapter who are under 19 years of age, who are pregnant or custodial parents, shall be required to participate in the program, subject to both of the following requirements:
(1) The teenage parent shall participate in the program until earning his or her high school diploma or its equivalent.
(2) The teenage parent shall participate in the program as a student attending school on a full-time basis, as normally defined by the school in which the participant enrolls.
(b) A teen, as defined in paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) may continue to participate in the program provided for under this article. Any teen participating under this article pursuant to this subdivision shall be eligible for the same benefits as is any individual required to participate in the program.
(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the county shall exempt a teenage parent from the program as verified by the county when any of the following conditions occur:
(1) The teenage parent is expelled from school and obtains verification that no other school in the district will permit him or her to attend, and the case manager cannot arrange for enrollment in an alternative school.
(2) The teenage parent cannot receive payment for child care or transportation expenses due to lack of program funding.
(3) Child care is necessary and unavailable.
(4) Public or private transportation is necessary and unavailable.
(5) A foster care payment is made under this chapter on behalf of the teenage parent.
(6) The teen parent has an illness, injury, or incapacity, as determined by a doctor’s verification, that substantially deprives the teen parent of the ability to meet program requirements or to be successful in earning a high school diploma or its equivalent, and an alternative education program cannot be arranged.
(d) For the purposes of this article, “teen” or “teenage parent” means either of the following:
(1) A custodial parent or pregnant woman under 19 years of age, who is required to participate pursuant to subdivision (a).
(2) A custodial parent or pregnant woman 19 years of age who, prior to becoming 19 years of age, was participating in the program pursuant to subdivision (a), and who is otherwise eligible for voluntary continued participation in the program.
(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 902, Sec. 41. Effective January 1, 1999. As prescribed in former Section 11334.8, this section (as part of Article 3.5) resumed full operation on April 1, 2013, after a period of inoperation or limited operation. Note: Former Section 11334.8 was last amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 439, before its repeal on April 1, 2013.)