CaliforniaCalWORKs: CalFresh: eligibility: income and resource exclusions.
What it does
Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds to eligible states through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program. Existing state law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program under which, through a combination of state and county funds and federal funds received through the TANF program, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Under existing law, certain types of payments received by recipients of aid under the CalWORKs program, including, among others, an award or scholarship provided by a public or private entity to, or on behalf of, a dependent child are exempt from consideration as income for purposes of determining eligibility and aid amount.
More detail
Existing federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing law requires the eligibility of households to be determined to the extent permitted by federal law. Existing federal regulation provides states with the option to exclude, for purposes of calculating a household's income under SNAP, any type of income that the state excludes when determining eligibility or benefits for TANF cash assistance or certain medical assistance.
This bill would exempt any grant, award, scholarship, loan, or fellowship benefit that is provided to any assistance unit member for the purpose of attending an institution of higher education, except as specified, from consideration as income for purposes of determining CalWORKs and CalFresh eligibility or grant amounts, and would also exempt those funds as resources for purposes of determining CalWORKs eligibility or grant amounts. The bill would also require, to the extent permitted by federal law, regulation, or guidance, or a waiver thereof, the State Department of Social Services to exercise a federal option to exclude, for purposes of calculating a household's income under CalFresh, any type of income that the department excludes when determining eligibility or benefits for CalWORKs and certain medical assistance. This bill would require the department to implement these provisions through an all-county letter or similar instruction until regulations are adopted. By expanding the scope of eligibility for CalWORKs and CalFresh, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program.
This bill would provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
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
- 2025
- Oct 7Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 430, Statutes of 2025.Latest
- Oct 7Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 15Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.To Governor
- Sep 8Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3022.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 42 Bryan Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Sep 4In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded Special Consent. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 4Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2520.).Passed Senate
- Sep 2Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Aug 29Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 29From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).Minor
- Jul 14In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 1From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jun 30
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 23From 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 18Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.Minor
- Jun 4In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Jun 3Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1965.)Passed Assembly
- Vote recorded AB 42 Bryan Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 23From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 9In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Mar 26From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Mar 25
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 27Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.Minor
- Feb 25Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.Minor
- Feb 24From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on REV. & TAX. Read second time and amended.Major
- Feb 3Referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.Minor
- 2024
- Dec 3From printer. May be heard in committee January 2.
- Dec 2Read first time. To print.Introduced