2009 California Welfare and Institutions Code - Section 18510-18511 :: Article 5. Responsibility For Repayment

18510.  Relief granted to any person who is not entitled thereto
under the provisions of this chapter shall constitute a debt of the
recipient, to the amount of such relief, to the state and the county
participating in the granting of such relief. Recovery may be had
upon such debt out of any property of the recipient not exempt from
execution.
   Any money refunded under the provisions of this section shall be
repaid to the state and the county in the proportion that each
contributed to the relief granted.

18511.  If the spouse, parent, or adult child of any recipient of
relief is financially able to contribute to the support of the
recipient, such relative is liable to reimburse the state and county
for relief granted to the recipient to the extent of his financial
ability so to do.
   The board of supervisors of the county granting relief shall
determine if the spouse, parent, or adult child has financial ability
to support or contribute to the support of the recipient and was
pecuniarily able to support or contribute to the support of the
recipient during the time relief was provided to him. If, in the
opinion of the board of supervisors, pecuniary ability existed when
the relief was granted, and exists when the matter comes before the
board of supervisors, the board shall request the district attorney
or other civil legal officer of the county granting the relief to
proceed against such responsible relative or relatives.
   Upon such request, the district attorney or other civil legal
officer shall maintain an action on behalf of the county granting
relief against the relative or relatives to recover for the county
the relief granted and to secure an order requiring the payment of
any sums which may become due in the future.
   All money collected by the county under the provisions of this
section shall be credited to the state and the county in the
proportion that each contributed to the relief granted.