Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code § 18204

To enable it to conduct and administer experimental projects to test methods and procedures of administering assistance and services to recipients of public social services, the department may waive the enforcement of specific statutory requirements, regulations, and standards in one or more counties or on a statewide basis by formal order of the director. The order establishing the waiver shall provide alternative methods and procedures of administration, shall not be in conflict with the basic purposes, coverage, or benefits provided by law, shall not be general in scope but shall apply only for the duration of such a project and not to exceed three years, and shall not take effect unless and until the following conditions have been met: a. The Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare of the United States has agreed, for the same project, to waive the public assistance plan requirements relative to statewide uniformity. b. A comprehensive plan, including an analysis of the expected costs, has been published in a newspaper of general circulation and filed with the Rules Committee of each house of the Legislature.