The United States Department of Agriculture has extended California’s statewide waiver of the Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWD) rule until June 30, 2023. The ABAWD rule limits people who are not disabled and who do not have children to receiving 3 months of CalFresh every 36 months. California had a statewide waiver of the ABAWD rule. That waiver has not been extended to June 30, 2023.
Regardless of the waiver, counties must continue to identify ABAWDs, screen for exemptions and inform clients of the ABAWD rules. Counties must also track and report data about work registration, ABAWDs, and Employment and Training.
People previously discontinued from CalFresh for not meeting the ABAWD requirements can reapply and be approved for CalFresh if they are otherwise eligible and they are in a county with an ABAWD waiver (which is the entire state until at least June 30, 2023). Voluntary quit sanctions do not stop because the recipient moves to another county. (ACL 22-40, May 20, 2022.)