Public social services: state of emergency or health emergency.

Assembly Member Harabedian's legislation establishes automatic continuity of benefits for recipients of major California social service programs during declared emergencies, introducing new protections for vulnerable populations when disasters strike. The measure applies to CalWORKs, CalFresh, the California Food Assistance Program, In-Home Supportive Services, the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants, and Medi-Cal.

Under the proposal, recipients displaced or otherwise affected by a state of emergency or health emergency maintain their current benefits for at least 90 days from the emergency declaration and through its conclusion. Counties must implement this through automated systems that pause benefit discontinuations without requiring manual intervention. The legislation also requires counties to immediately restore benefits for affected individuals whose coverage was discontinued, accepting verbal attestation of impact without demanding additional documentation.

The measure directs counties to excuse missed reporting deadlines during emergencies, preventing benefit terminations for recipients who fail to submit semi-annual reports or annual recertifications. While the bill creates new county administrative duties, it specifies that implementation must align with federal law and allows state directors to issue compliance guidance to counties. The legislation includes no new appropriations, though counties may seek reimbursement for state-mandated costs through existing processes.