AB 963 Summary

• Requires the State Department of Health Care Services to establish a stakeholder planning workgroup to develop a single renewal and recertification form for recipients of Medi-Cal, Food Stamp, and CalWORKs benefits.

• Directs the workgroup to eliminate duplicative information requests, allow recipients to skip non-applicable sections, and develop procedures for both paper and electronic renewal.

• Requires the workgroup to align renewal dates across programs without causing early loss of benefits, establish data-sharing safeguards meeting confidentiality requirements, and prioritize automation through the Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS).

• Mandates consideration of modifications including electronic and telephonic renewal methods, prepopulated forms, elimination of interview requirements, and identification of needed federal waivers for implementation.

• Requires the State Department of Health Care Services and State Department of Social Services to submit the single renewal form and related policies to the Legislature by October 31, 2011, with funding obtained from non-General Fund sources.