(a) It is the intent of this section to assure that the food purchasing power provided by benefits available from CalFresh under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Chapter 51 (commencing with Section 2011), Title 7, United States Code) shall continue to be available to recipients of aid under this chapter, if, when and during such times as federal law is amended to preclude CalFresh benefits to such recipients, but does expressly permit the equivalent of such benefits to be provided as cash benefits to such recipients.
(b) It is the further intent of this section to protect the financial interest of the state and counties by accomplishing the conversion of CalFresh benefits in such a manner that the conversion does not result in state and county costs of aid exceeding the costs in the base year, as hereinafter defined in this section.
(c) If federal law is amended to preclude the provision of CalFresh benefits pursuant to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to applicants or recipients of aid under this chapter, when such federal law becomes operative, such of the following provisions for converting CalFresh benefits to cash benefits as is consistent with the intent of this section shall become operative immediately:
(1) The bonus value of CalFresh benefits shall be paid in addition to the amounts payable pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 11450, provided that aggregate state and county expenditures pursuant to that section and this section do not thereby exceed the base-year costs.
(2) If aggregate state and county expenditures pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 11450 and this section in any fiscal year would, by virtue of the operation of paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of this section, result in an increase over the aggregate of such expenditures in the base year, the bonus value of CalFresh benefits paid pursuant to this section shall be reduced, on a pro rata basis, by such amount as will reduce aggregate state and county expenditures under that section and this section to an amount equal to the aggregate state and county expenditures in the base year.
(d) For the purposes of this section, “base year” means that year designated by federal law as the year fixing the limit on nonfederal expenditures for programs established to implement programs under Part A of Title 4 of the Social Security Act.
(e) For purposes of this section, “bonus value of CalFresh benefits” means the dollar amount that federal law permits to be paid to a child or a family of given size as a cash benefit in lieu of benefits under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
(f) For purposes of this section, “aggregate state and county expenditure” is defined as expenditure made under subdivision (a) of Section 11450 and this section, after deducting any federal reimbursements or credits, and excluding any cost-of-living increment paid pursuant to Section 11453.
(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 227, Sec. 56. (AB 1400) Effective January 1, 2012.)