Section 18901.5.

(a) The department shall establish a program of categorical eligibility for CalFresh in accordance with Section 5(a) of the federal Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. Sec. 2014(a)), and implementing regulations, to improve nutrition and promote the retention and development of assets and resources for needy households who meet all other federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program eligibility requirements. Categorical eligibility for CalFresh shall also apply to any individual who is a member of a household that will be receiving or is eligible to receive cash assistance under Part 5 (commencing with Section 17000), or eligible to receive food assistance under Chapter 10.1 (commencing with Section 18930).

(b) The director shall implement the program established pursuant to this section only with the appropriate federal authorization and if implementation would not result in the loss of federal financial participation.

(c) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code) and Section 10554, until emergency regulations are filed with the Secretary of State, the State Department of Social Services may implement the changes made by subdivision (a) through all-county letters or similar instructions from the director. The department shall adopt emergency regulations as necessary to implement those amendments on or before January 1, 2010. The program established pursuant to this section shall be established on or before July 1, 2009, and shall be fully implemented as to new applicants for CalFresh on or before January 1, 2010.

(d) The department shall adopt regulations to implement this section. The adoption, amendment, repeal, or readoption of a regulation authorized by this section is deemed to address an emergency, for purposes of Sections 11346.1 and 11349.6 of the Government Code, and the department is hereby exempted for this purpose from the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 11346.1 of the Government Code. The emergency regulations shall be exempt from review by the Office of Administrative Law. The department shall adopt final regulations implementing the program authorized by this section on or before July 1, 2010.

(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 227, Sec. 72. Effective January 1, 2012.)