"Recent Actions of Conference Committee"
Welfare Reform
May 30, 1997
Recent Conference Committee Actions
These issues have been adopted in the past ten days by the conference
committee. The number that begins each entry refers to the
issue/options sheets in front of each legislator during
deliberations. To be adopted, an issue needs at least six Assembly
Members' votes and at least six Senators' votes.
Issue Motion Action
4, 167 Child support cooperation and good cause exceptions (SB
1185 proposal): Custodial parents to assign rights to support to
the state; definition of cooperation; DA to determine of parent
is cooperating; penalty of 25 percent of grant; good cause
determined by county welfare department; assigned staff trained
in domestic violence issues; good cause defined; collocation of
DA staff in county welfare offices either physically or through
telephone access. Adopted 13-0
31 Gain Exemptions: Caretaker relatives: Exempt all
non-aided caretaker relatives. Exempt all aided caretaker
relatives (1) who care for children who are dependents or wards
of the court, (2) who are over 50, or (3) cases where the county
determines that there is a risk of placement in foster care
Adopted 13-1
34 GAIN exemptions: Option A: Eliminate remoteness exemption
but retain good cause for non-participation due to lack of
transportation Adopted 14-0
35 GAIN exemptions for work: Exempt single parents working a
minimum of 20 hours per week. Counties may requires additional
10 hours of job search or training activities. Adopted 13-1
36 GAIN exemptions: Educational exemptions: exempt student
if making good progress in a program that leads to employment; 24
months full-time and 36 months part-time; locally develop list of
acceptable programs, otherwise county determines; permit
exemptions up to 12 months for all students currently enrolled in
program; allow transfer to program leading to employment.
Approved program must report data for "report card" purposes.
Adopted 14-0
36a Require evaluation and accountability for the manner in
which counties are implementing education al exemptions and
making determinations of what program lead to employment
Adopted 14-0
37 GAIN deferral for lack of supportive services: continue
but require mandatory review at least every 6 months.
Adopted 14-0
45a GAIN exemption: Domestic Violence: Exempt domestic
violence victims from work requirement only if participation is
detrimental to or unfairly penalizes the individual or family
Adopted 12-1
45b Domestic violence exemption: Conduct re-evaluations in
accordance with other routine periodic re-evaluation by the
county Adopted 12-0
98a Domestic violence: definition: Adopt federal definition
of domestic violence, but include stalking. Adopted 12-1
98b Verify domestic violence claims by sworn statements of
past, present , or risk of future abuse by a victim unless the
agency documents in writing an independent reasonable basis to
find the recipient not credible. Adopted 12-1
100a One-Stop Centers: Target expansion of One-Stop Career
Centers to areas of state with high caseloads; require county
welfare department participation Adopted 14-0
100e Encourage the development of a new "Wellness Guide"
appropriate for welfare parents to be available through counties
Adopted 14-0
101a Job listings: Direct EDD to develop and coordinate a
state system for job listing; access to these lists at one-stop
centers with in-person assistance available; review why current
job listings are declining and find ways to encourage more
listing Adopted 13-0
102a Draft a committee bill to require immediate county and
local or regional collaboration on job creation; require all
stakeholders to be part of the process. Adopted 14-0
102 Adopt SB 655 regional collaboration proposal
Adopted 13-1
102c. Develop a plan and budget to enhance labor market,
business, and industry information of use to counties Adopted
12-0
102m Create the Job Creation Investment Fund Adopted 12-0
102h Use the Infrastructure Bank to assist in funding
job-creating infrastructure Adopted 13-0
102g "Put California to Work" linked deposit initiative for
local government Adopted 12-1
103b Community college funding for customized training to
train existing workers to allow their advancement and open entry
position for welfare parents Adopted 12-0
113 Community College/Adult Education: Establish
collaborative process in which local adult education providers
agree on the allocation of additional education funding; local
plan is a prerequisite for receipt of additional funding
Adopted 13-0
114 Employment Training Panel proposal: Waive current
out-of-state competition restriction for eligible industries.
Allow flexibility in employment retention requirement for former
welfare recipients. Allow flexibility on wage requirement for
program participants. Allow basic skills training to remain
employed. Simplify employer contracting requirements. Set aside
funds to train and promote existing workers to free up entry
level positions for welfare parents. Adopted 14-0
115 Retain $20 million from Employment Training Fund targeted
toward welfare recipients. Adopted 14-0
116 Require the state to develop a mechanism to provide
financial and performance incentives for coordination of local
educational services among higher education, community colleges,
and K-12 systems. To be implemented during 1998-99.
Adopted 13-1
118 JTPA: Waivers for stand alone job search, job club, job
search assistance and work experience; allow provision of
training and post-termination service for up to one year.
Adopted 13-0
120 Earned Income Tax Credit: establish refundable state
credit at unspecified percentage of federal credit for filers
with qualifying dependent children. Adopted 12-2
Actions taken 5/21/97
170 GAIN Funding Equity: Retain current base GAIN funding.
Allocate one-third of additional funds above the 1996-97 level to
counties that have been most severely underfunded as measured by
the dollars per aided adult. Allocate the remaining two-thirds
of the additional funds in proportion to each county's share of
aided adults. Adopted 12-0
172 Create a Joint Legislative Committee on Tribal Issues
Relating to Welfare Reform Adopted 12-0
173 Tribal issues: Funding: Allocate annually to any tribe
administering its own welfare program the state and county funds
that would otherwise have been spent to provide services to the
Indian families who will be served by the tribal program. Set
county funding at no more than the amount spent by counties for
the affected population during the 1994 federal fiscal year.
Express intent that the counties are consulted as the
negotiations between the state and participating tribes
progress. Adopted 14-0
174 Direct state administration and other agencies to
automatically request available exemptions or waivers on behalf
of Indian reservations and rancherias independent of county
participation , demographics, or circumstances. The position is
to be funded through redirection of non-TANF funds.
Adopted 13-0
175 Tribal issues: Data reconciliation and collection: DSS
and counties work with tribes to reconcile state and local data
collection mechanisms to facilitate federal reporting
requirements, whether or not a tribe chooses to administer its
own welfare program; Share tribe-specific information on welfare
recipients to assist tribes in determining whether or not to
administer an independent TANF program. Implement new data
systems to be able to obtain necessary information for federal
reporting on tribes and for tribal information needs
Actions taken 5/20/97
6 Asset limits: Exempt one automobile per family of any
value; limit of $4,500 equity value for other vehicles; align
TANF and food stamp asset rules; align applicant and recipient
rules; apply $2,000 asset rule (exempt life/burial insurance,
household furnishings, tools). Adopted 13-0
62 Contracting: Prohibit contracting out TANF services over
and above those services allowed under current law. Adopted
12-0
63 Contracting with religious organizations: No change in
current law. Adopted 13-0
67 IEVS Notification: Require counties to notify recipients
when discrepancy exists between IEVS data and reported income
within 15 days of discovery in automated counties and within 30
days in non-automated counties. Adopted 13-0
75 Automation issues: Create a statewide capacity to track
total lifetime amount of time on aid in any county
Adopted 12-0
75A Automatic Benefit Transfer: In consultation with the
counties, design and implement, a single statewide electronic
benefit transfer system which would be used for all benefit
payments including AFDC, food stamps, WIC, and general
assistance Adopted 12-0
78 Automation: Options A and B: Redesign data systems for
case management to provide better access to information for TANF
workers; Require DSS to prepare a yearly report on its progress
in working with counties and state agencies to achieve goals of
better data systems and performance management. Adopted 12-0
78 Automation: Option D: Identify a high level coordinator
who reports to Finance and Information Technology to lead the
effort to determine how TANF, Medi-Cal, child support, and child
care automated systems will relate to one another and how they
will be most helpful to the counties. Adopted 12-0
82 Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation: Options A, B, C, D
with respect to Cal-Learn evaluation, and E: Require information
sharing procedures; Establish advisory committee; Fund research
center; Continue Cal-Learn evaluation; Establish joint effort
to link TANF and other data systems. Adopted 12-0
128, 132, 133, 136, 168 Child care agreement, dated 5/19/97:
Three stages child care services (modified to clarify that the
first stage may be extended up to 6 months in special
circumstances); Local planning councils-- membership and
responsibilities; Administrative consistency in rates, fees,
applications, parental complaint process; Capacity building --
determine unused capacity and work with Head Start and State
Preschool. Conflict of interest. Adopted 14-0
130 Exemptions from work requirements: exempt parents with
child younger than 24 months. Do not count time during exemption
against time limits. Exemption for a second child based on
current law. Adopted 12-0
154 Transportation: Require DSS to include transit operators
and Consolidated Transportation Service Agencies in the state
plan preparation process. Adopted 13-0
155 Alcohol and drug treatment services: increase
availability Adopted 13-0
161-163 Proposed Alternative Mental Health Services as part of
Welfare reform:: $20 million General Fund grant to counties for
the non-federal share of mental health services provided as part
of employability plan Adopted 15-0