(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a person who satisfies the criteria in subdivision (b) shall be entitled to receive the standard payment for books and college supplies pursuant to Section 11323.21, subject to all of the following:

(1) The participant shall not be required to complete job club, as provided in Section 11325.22.

(2) The participant shall not be required to participate in orientation and appraisal, as provided in subdivision (a) of Section 11320.1, more than once. A county may require another orientation and appraisal for participants who have had a break of more than one year in receiving aid or supportive services pursuant to this chapter.

(3) An assessment, as provided in Section 11325.4, shall be conducted only for the purpose of identifying any barriers, such as domestic violence, substance abuse, mental health, learning disability, or other barriers that the participant may have. This barrier assessment may be conducted only through a telephone or other electronic interview, unless the participant requests an in-person assessment in writing. In no event may that individual be disallowed to attend a publicly funded or nonprofit postsecondary education institution if otherwise eligible under this section due to any barrier.

(4) The participant shall not be required to participate in welfare-to-work activities pursuant to this article to satisfy instructional hours during semester or quarter breaks.

(b) (1) This section applies to both of the following:

(A) A recipient attending a publicly funded or nonprofit postsecondary educational institution full time and making satisfactory progress at that institution.

(B) A recipient attending a publicly funded or nonprofit postsecondary educational institution part time and who is meeting the hourly participation rates required by Section 11322.8, based on the number of instructional hours or academic units and the hours of study time required for those instructional hours or academic units. For purposes of calculating whether a recipient is meeting the hourly participation requirement, the number of hours for study time shall be three hours of study time for each instructional hour or academic unit. If a recipient’s instructional hours or academic units, in addition to the three hours of study time per unit, do not meet the total number of hours required by Section 11322.8, the county shall assist the recipient in meeting the required hours of participation by allowing the recipient to submit a proposal for meeting those hours based on the full array of options available to the recipient, which the county shall apply to satisfy the hourly participation requirement.

(2) A recipient described in this subdivision shall not be subject to Section 11322.85.

(c) A recipient who is attending a publicly funded or nonprofit postsecondary educational institution shall provide verification that they are making satisfactory progress at the beginning of each term when that information is available from the institution the recipient attends.

(d) For purposes of this section, the definitions of “full time,” “part time,” and “making satisfactory progress” shall be determined according to the rules and regulations of the publicly funded or nonprofit postsecondary educational institution that the individual attends.

(e) (1) An individual who meets the requirements of this section and wishes to receive supportive services shall be required to sign a welfare-to-work plan.

(2) The plan shall be mailed to the recipient for completion and shall be returned by mail or by electronic means, if the county has the capacity to make the plan electronically available. If the county requires the plan to be returned by mail, the county shall include a postage-prepaid envelope for that purpose. The recipient may request, in writing, to meet with a county employee to receive assistance with completing the plan.

(f) For purposes of this section, an “instructional hour” shall mean class time of 50 minutes.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 447, Sec. 1. (SB 768) Effective January 1, 2023.)