California Welfare and Institutions Code

This act shall be known as the Welfare and Institutions Code.

The provisions of this code, in so far as they are substantially the same as existing statutory provisions relating to the same subject matter, shall be construed as restatements and continuations thereof, and not as new enactments.

All persons who, at the time this code goes into effect, hold office under any of the acts repealed by this code, which offices are continued by this code, continue to hold the same according to the former tenure thereof.

No action or proceeding commenced before this code takes effect, and no right accrued, is affected by the provisions of this code, but all procedure thereafter taken therein shall conform to the provisions of this code so far as possible.

Unless the context otherwise requires, the general provisions hereinafter set forth shall govern the construction of this code.

Division, part, chapter, article, and section headings contained herein shall not be deemed to govern, limit, modify, or in any manner affect the scope, meaning, or intent of the provisions of any division, part, chapter, article, or section hereof.

Whenever, by the provisions of this code, a power is granted to a public officer or a duty imposed upon such an officer, the power may be exercised or the duty performed by a deputy of the officer or by a person authorized pursuant to law by the officer, unless it is expressly otherwise provided.

Writing includes any form of recorded message capable of comprehension by ordinary visual means. Whenever any notice, report, statement, or record is required or authorized by this code, it shall be made in writing in the English language.

Whenever any reference is made to any portion of this code or of any other law of this State, such reference shall apply to all amendments and additions thereto now or hereafter made.

“Section” means a section of this code unless some other statute is specifically mentioned, and “subdivision” means a subdivision of the section in which that term appears unless some other section is expressly mentioned.

The present tense includes the past and future tenses, and the future tense includes the present.

The masculine gender includes the feminine and neuter.

“Spouse” includes “registered domestic partner,” as required by Section 297.5 of the Family Code.

The singular number includes the plural, and the plural number includes the singular.

“County” includes “city and county.”

“Shall” is mandatory and “may” is permissive.

“Oath” includes affirmation.

“Signature” or “subscription” includes mark when the signer or subscriber can not write, such signer’s or subscriber’s name being written near the mark by a witness who writes his own name near the signer’s or subscriber’s name; but a signature or subscription by mark can be acknowledged or can serve as a signature or…

Unless otherwise provided under this code, including, but not limited to, Sections 366.31 and 375, and to the extent not in conflict with federal law, the residence of a minor person, or a nonminor dependent, as described in subdivision (v) of Section 11400, shall be determined by the following rules: (a) The residence…

If any provision of this code, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of the code, or the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby.

It is the purpose of this code, in establishing programs and services which are designed to provide protection, support or care of children, to provide protective services to the fullest extent deemed necessary by the juvenile court, probation department or other public agencies designated by the board of supervisors t…

The purpose of the public social services for which state grants-in-aid are made to counties are: (a) To provide on behalf of the general public, and within the limits of public resources, reasonable support and maintenance for needy and dependent families and persons. (b) To provide timely and appropriate services to…

(a) Whenever any reference is made in any provision of this code to the “State Department of Benefit Payments” or the “Department of Benefit Payments” with respect to aid, it means the State Department of Social Services. Whenever any reference is made to the “State Department of Benefit Payments” or “Department of Ben…

Whenever in any provision of law there is a reference to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 7000) of Division 7 of the Welfare and Institutions Code or Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1400) of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, if it applies to a health facility, it shall be deemed to mean Chapter 2 (commenci…

Whenever in any provision of law there is a reference to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 7000) of Division 7 of the Welfare and Institutions Code relating to community care facilities as defined by Section 1502 of the Health and Safety Code or Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 16000) of Part 4 of Division 9 of the…