(a) A person who is a kinship guardian under this article, and who has met the requirements of Section 361.4, is exempt from identity verification requirements for the CalWORKs program. A guardian who is also an applicant for, or a recipient of, benefits under the CalWORKs program shall comply with the identity verification requirements for the CalWORKs program, as those statutory and regulatory requirements existed on October 1, 2018.
(b) Any exemptions exercised pursuant to this section shall be implemented in accordance with Section 11393.
(c) Income to the child, including the Kin-GAP payment, shall not be considered income to the kinship guardian for purposes of determining the kinship guardian’s eligibility for any other aid program, unless required by federal law as a condition of the receipt of federal financial participation.
(d) Each county that formally had court-ordered jurisdiction under Section 300 or Section 601 or 602 over a child receiving benefits under the Kin-GAP Program shall be responsible for paying the child’s aid regardless of where the child actually resides.
(e) Notwithstanding any other law, when a child receiving benefits under the AFDC-FC program becomes eligible for benefits under the Kin-GAP Program during any month, the child shall continue to receive benefits under the AFDC-FC program, as appropriate, through the day that the juvenile court dismisses the dependency or terminates the wardship, and Kin-GAP payments shall begin the day following the day that the juvenile court dismisses the dependency or terminates the wardship.
(f) Both of the following shall apply to any child or nonminor in receipt of Kin-GAP benefits:
(1) The child or nonminor is eligible to request and receive independent living services pursuant to Section 10609.3.
(2) Income or property received after the beginning date of receipt of Kin-GAP benefits shall be disregarded.
(g) Amendments made to this section by the act that added this subdivision shall become operative on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS) can perform the necessary automation to implement the amendments.
(Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 46, Sec. 17. (AB 161) Effective July 2, 2024. Conditionally operative as prescribed by its own provisions.)