CHAPTER 1. Welfare Emergency Financing [18000. - 18005.]

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC 1.

in effect

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18000. Section 18000.

The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the continued operation of the state plans for aid to the aged, the blind, aid to the disabled, and families with dependent children in the event that federal assistance therefor is temporarily delayed or not available, without the changes and modifications in such plans provided for in this code as a consequence of the withdrawal of federal assistance for such aid from this state.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18001. Section 18001.

As used in this chapter “joint public assistance” means aid to families with dependent children, aid to the aged, aid to the blind, and aid to the disabled, and “eligible recipient” means any person eligible for such joint public assistance.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18002. Section 18002.

The Governor may, within 15 days prior to the commencement of any fiscal quarter or during any fiscal quarter, proclaim the existence of a period of welfare emergency, whenever he finds as facts all of the following: (a) Assistance to this state for joint public assistance is provided for by the Federal Social Security Act or other federal legislation. (b) This state has qualified to receive federal assistance for joint public assistance, and has not been notified that further payment of such federal assistance will not be made because of the failure of this state to comply with the requirements of the federal legislation. (c) Federal assistance to this state for joint public assistance for the entire fiscal quarter has not been received, and it is improbable that such federal assistance will be received by the state prior to the usual time for transmitting such federal assistance to the counties of this state. Any period of welfare emergency proclaimed by the Governor pursuant to this section shall commence on the date of the proclamation by the Governor, and shall continue until federal assistance is received by this state for joint public assistance for the first quarter following the date of the proclamation, or until the commencement of the second quarter following that date, whichever first occurs. In no event shall any period of welfare emergency continue for more than four calendar months, nor shall any subsequent period of welfare emergency be proclaimed unless federal assistance has been received by this state for each prior fiscal quarter commencing during any prior period of welfare emergency.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18003. Section 18003.

Out of any money in the State Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is hereby appropriated each month to every county within this state for joint public assistance to eligible recipients, an amount, as estimated by the department, equal to the aggregate amount of federal assistance payable to this state under federal law for joint public assistance to eligible recipients within the county. This appropriation is in addition to any other appropriation to the counties of the state for joint public assistance or for any aid within the definition of joint public assistance. Payment of the sums appropriated by this section shall be made in the manner provided by Chapter 9 of Part 3 of this code. This section shall be operative only during periods of welfare emergency duly proclaimed by the Governor pursuant to Section 18002.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18004. Section 18004.

The sums appropriated by Section 18003 shall be considered for all purposes to be “federal assistance” and “grants-in-aid” from the United States government for aid to families with dependent children, aid to the aged, aid to the blind, and aid to the disabled, respectively, and shall not be considered to be state moneys or appropriations from the State Treasury. All such sums shall be subject to all of the provisions applicable to funds received by this state from the United States government, and all of the provisions of the chapters governing public assistance programs shall be construed and applied in every respect as if such funds had been in fact received by this state from the United States government. However, none of such sums shall be considered for any purpose to be federal assistance or grants for the cost of administering joint public assistance.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18005. Section 18005.

Whenever federal assistance to this state for joint public assistance for any period of welfare emergency during which sums appropriated by Section 18002 have been expended is received by this state, any sums appropriated by Section 18002, which have theretofore been expended for joint public assistance pursuant to this chapter, shall be repaid to the state from the funds so received, and deposited in the General Fund in the State Treasury to the credit of the appropriation made by Section 18002.

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