CaliforniaCalifornia would create a council to review policies affecting child poverty
California would form a state council to review how policies affect child poverty, publish yearly reviews, and report recommendations to lawmakers.
What it does
California would establish a 19-member council to coordinate child poverty work and review how policies affect children and families. Social Services would staff it as funding allows.
The council would set annual benchmarks toward cutting child poverty in half within 10 years, review selected policies and programs each year, and publish its findings.
The council provisions would stop operating in July 2030 and be removed from law in January 2031.
Argument forYearly reviews could help lawmakers see how policies affect child poverty and family paperwork before changing programs that serve children.
Argument againstRequired yearly reviews and reports could take staff time from other work, especially if available funding does not cover the council's support needs.
More detail
California establishes a council to coordinate child poverty work and review how policies affect children and families. The council is housed in the State Department of Social Services and has 19 members appointed by the Governor and legislative leaders, including agency, community, poverty, and youth representatives. The Department of Social Services must assist the council only to the extent funding is available. The council must convene by April 1, 2027.
The council must develop a plan, review selected policies and programs each year, and report to the Legislature. The reviews consider effects on child poverty and administrative burdens for families with children. At least once each year, the council must review one proposal, budget item, or pending bill requiring work across agencies, and one state program or process that could reduce barriers and improve equity. The council must publish its required reviews. The council must send recommendations by March 1, 2028, and a progress report by January 1, 2030.
The council's legal authority ends on a set schedule. This schedule applies to the council provisions established by the bill. The provisions become inoperative July 1, 2030, and are repealed January 1, 2031.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 27Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 568, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 27Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 8Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 28Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 6804.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 1996 Bonta Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 27In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded Special Consent AB1996 Bonta et al. By Ashby. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 27Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Aug 25Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).Major
- Jun 29In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 16From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (June 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 15
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 10From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.Major
- Jun 3Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.Minor
- May 21In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 1996 Bonta Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 21Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 5215.)Passed Assembly
- May 18Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 14From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 29In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 15From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 14
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 16Referred to Com. on HUM. S.Minor
- Feb 18From printer. May be heard in committee March 20.
- Feb 17Read first time. To print.Introduced
Government & EthicsCivil Rights & VotingEducation