(a) Subject to an appropriation for this purpose in the annual Budget Act, the State Department of Social Services shall administer the California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program to provide grants to eligible entities for the purpose of administering pilot programs and projects that provide a guaranteed income to participants. The department shall prioritize funding for pilot programs and projects that serve California residents who age out of the extended foster care program at or after 21 years of age or who are pregnant individuals. The department, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, shall determine the methodology for, and manner of, distributing grants awarded pursuant to this chapter. In determining the methodology and manner of distributing grants, the department shall ensure that grant funds are awarded in an equitable manner to eligible entities in both rural and urban counties and in proportion to the number of individuals anticipated to be served by an eligible entityâs pilot program or project. (b) In order to receive grant funds pursuant to this chapter, an eligible entity shall do all of the following: (1) Present commitments of additional funding for pilot programs and projects to be funded with a grant received pursuant to this chapter equal to or greater than 50 percent of the amount of funding to be provided to the pilot program or project from a grant received pursuant to this chapter. (2) Present a plan for providing all individuals who receive guaranteed income payments funded with a grant provided under this chapter with sufficient benefits counseling and informational materials to ensure that they are aware of any impact the receipt of a guaranteed income payment from the pilot program or project may have on their eligibility for other public benefit programs. (3) Agree to assist the department in obtaining, or to pursue, to the extent necessary, all available exemptions or waivers to ensure that guaranteed income payments made under those pilots and projects are not considered income or resources for the recipient of the guaranteed income payments or any member of their household in any means-tested federal, state, or local public benefit programs. (c) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, guaranteed income payments received by an individual from a pilot program or project funded pursuant to this chapter shall not be considered income or resources for purposes of determining the individualâs, or any member of their householdâs, eligibility for benefits or assistance, or the amount or extent of benefits or assistance, under any state or local benefit or assistance program. (2) The department shall, in consultation with stakeholders, and after consultation with the Legislature, identify federal benefit and assistance programs that require an exemption or waiver in order for a guaranteed income payment funded with a grant provided under this chapter to be excluded from consideration as income or resources for purposes of the federal program. Notwithstanding any other law, a state department or agency that administers a program identified by the department shall, if possible, approve an exemption or waiver, or provide any other authority deemed necessary by the department, to exclude guaranteed income payments from consideration as income or resources for purposes of the federal program, or, if the state department or agency does not have that authority, seek a federal waiver or exemption. The stateâs failure to be granted a federal exemption or waiver, as described in this paragraph, shall not affect the departmentâs ability to administer the California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program, and the department may consider alternatives to prevent adverse consequences for participants, in consultation with the Legislature and stakeholders. (d) Notwithstanding any other law, for the purposes of determining eligibility to receive benefits, or the amount or extent of medical assistance, under the Medi
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