ARTICLE 3. Procedure [18490. - 18496.]

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC 3.

in effect

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18490. Section 18490.

Application for relief may be made to the county of which the applicant is a resident, or, in the case of an applicant who is a resident of the state but who is not a resident of any county, to the county in which the applicant is present.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18491. Section 18491.

The board of supervisors of every county as a board, or by committee or by such person as it may authorize, shall investigate every application for relief under this chapter, shall supervise by periodic visitation every person receiving such relief, shall devise ways and means for bringing persons unable to maintain themselves to self-support, and shall keep full and complete records of such investigation, supervision, relief, and rehabilitation as shall be prescribed by the department. Such records shall be confidential and shall not be open to examination or inspection, except by the grand jury of the county or by a board or an officer of the state or the county charged with the supervision or direction of such relief or with the control of the expenditure of funds applicable to such relief. Any citizen shall be entitled to demand and receive from the board, officer, committee, or person having custody of such records a statement of the amount, character, and value of the relief received by any person.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18492. Section 18492.

Persons eligible for relief, who are residents of the state and residents of the county in which they apply for relief, shall be granted relief by the county of their residence, and the state shall pay to the county the state’s share of the cost of the relief. Persons eligible for relief, who are residents of the state but who are not residents of any county, shall be granted relief by the county in which they apply for relief, and the state shall pay to the county providing the relief the full cost of the relief provided, until such persons have remained in a county for the period necessary to acquire residence in that county.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18493. Section 18493.

In case of dispute between two or more counties as to the responsibility for any person, or in case of dispute between a county and the department, either may appeal to the department for a hearing. The decision of the department is final.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18494. Section 18494.

If any applicant or recipient is dissatisfied with the action of the board of supervisors, he shall, upon filing a petition with the department, have the right of appeal and shall be accorded an opportunity for a fair hearing. The department shall set such appeal for hearing 30 working days from the filing of the request and shall give all parties concerned written notice of the time and place at least 10 days prior to the hearing. At the hearing, the applicant or recipient may appear in person with counsel of his own choosing or in person and without such counsel. The department shall consider the appeal and shall dismiss the appeal or award relief as prescribed in this chapter. The board of supervisors shall then pay to such person the sum awarded, if any, by the department.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18496. Section 18496.

Whenever an applicant or recipient loses an appeal made pursuant to Section 18494, the applicant or recipient shall be liable for any amount paid pending the hearing which was at issue in the hearing, to the extent permitted by federal law.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026