(a) A parent or caretaker relative shall not be eligible for aid under this chapter when the parent or caretaker relative has received aid under this chapter or from any state under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (Part A (commencing with Section 401) of Title IV of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.)) for a cumulative total of 60 months.

(b) (1) Except as otherwise specified in subdivision (c), Section 11454.5, or other law, all months of aid received under this chapter from January 1, 1998, to the operative date of this section, inclusive, shall be applied to the 60-month time limit described in subdivision (a).

(2) All months of aid received from January 1, 1998, to the operative date of this section, inclusive, in any state pursuant to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (Part A (commencing with Section 401) of Title IV of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 601 et seq.)), shall be applied to the 60-month time limit described in subdivision (a).

(c) Subdivision (a) and paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) shall not be applicable when all parents or caretaker relatives of the aided child who are living in the home of the child meet any of the following requirements:

(1) They are 60 years of age or older.

(2) They meet one of the conditions specified in paragraph (4) or (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 11320.3.

(3) They are not included in the assistance unit.

(4) They are receiving benefits under Section 12200 or 12300, State Disability Insurance benefits or Workers’ Compensation Temporary Disability Insurance, if the disability significantly impairs the recipient’s ability to be regularly employed or participate in welfare-to-work activities.

(5) They are incapable of maintaining employment or participating in welfare-to-work activities, as determined by the county, based on the assessment of the individual and the individual has a history of participation and full cooperation in welfare-to-work activities.

(d) (1) Notwithstanding any other statute, regulation, or other state requirement, the department shall automate a one-time process that allows former CalWORKs recipients excluded from an existing assistance unit due to the formerly applicable 48-month time limit, but who have fewer than 60 countable months of time on aid in CalWORKs, to be added to the existing assistance unit if all information needed to complete an eligibility determination is in the case record and all other eligibility requirements have been met.

(2) (A) Notwithstanding any other statute, regulation, or other state requirement, the county shall not require a former CalWORKs recipient excluded from an existing assistance unit due to the formerly applicable 48-month time limit to complete and submit CalWORKs forms CW 8, CW 8A, CW 2.1NA, or CW 2.1Q in order to add the former recipient to the existing assistance unit pursuant to paragraph (1).

(B) A CalWORKs recipient added to an existing assistance unit pursuant to paragraph (1) shall complete and submit to the county CalWORKs forms CW 2.1NA and CW 2.1Q pertaining to child support within 60 days of being added to the assistance unit, or by the next scheduled semiannual report or annual redetermination, whichever is earlier.

(3) This subdivision shall only remain operative for 120 days from the date of the operation of this section pursuant to subdivision (e).

(e) This section shall become operative on May 1, 2022, or when the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement this section, whichever date is later.

(Amended (as added by Stats. 2020, Ch. 11, Sec. 61) by Stats. 2021, Ch. 85, Sec. 41. (AB 135) Effective July 16, 2021. Operative on or after May 1, 2022, as prescribed by its own provisions.)