(a) To the extent permitted by federal law, waiver, demonstration project, or other federal authority, the department shall allow counties to utilize existing information maintained by the federal Social Security Administration regarding low-income social security benefit recipients, to simplify enrollment into the CalFresh program administered pursuant to this chapter, provided that an interested county has either the existing capacity to receive that information, or the ability to adapt its existing automation systems without significant changes or costs to the state or county.

(b) The department shall support enrollment efforts pursuant to this section by doing all of the following:

(1) Working with the Social Security Administration to target social security recipients 60 years of age and older whose income and other factors are likely to qualify them for aid through CalFresh.

(2) Developing a streamlined application and simplified enrollment process for likely eligible recipients, which may include strategies used by other states to reduce paperwork and increase federal nutrition benefits, including, but not limited to, self-certification of key eligibility factors, standardization of benefits and deductions, and automation of the application process.

(3) Seeking waivers, grants, or other federal authority and support necessary to implement this section.

(c) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2012.

(Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 502, Sec. 2. (AB 69) Effective January 1, 2012. Section operative July 1, 2012, by its own provisions.)