CaliforniaPublic social services: eligibility: income exclusions.
What it does
Existing law establishes various means-tested public social services programs administered by counties to provide eligible recipients with certain benefits, including, but not limited to, cash assistance under the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program and health care services under the Medi-Cal program. Existing law establishes various awards under the administration of the Student Aid Commission and establishes eligibility requirements for these awards for participating students attending qualifying institutions.
More detail
Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state, and provides for their governance. Existing law establishes county boards of education and school districts throughout the state to administer the public elementary and secondary schools within their respective jurisdictions. Existing law requires county boards of education and school district governing boards to appoint at least one high school pupil as a pupil member of the board in response to a petition from high school pupils requesting the appointment of one or more pupil members. Existing law authorizes the county board of education and the governing board of a school district to award a pupil member elective course credit or monthly financial compensation, or both, as provided.
This bill would, to the extent permitted by federal law, prohibit that compensation from being considered as income or resources when determining eligibility and benefit amount for any means-tested program and any scholarships for public colleges and universities, as specified. To the extent that the bill would expand eligibility for programs administered by counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would authorize the State Department of Social Services to implement, interpret, or make specific the income exclusion for programs under its jurisdiction by means of all-county letters or similar written instructions from the department until regulations are adopted. The bill would specify that its provisions apply to programs under the department's jurisdiction beginning on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the California Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement the income exclusion for those programs. The bill would require the department to issue guidance as necessary to begin automation no later than July 1, 2026.
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 13Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 686, Statutes of 2025.Latest
- Oct 13Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 16Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m.To Governor
- Sep 9Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 80. Noes 0. Page 3102.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 320 Bennett Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Sep 8In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB320 Bennett By Arreguín. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 8Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0. Page 2592.).Passed Senate
- Sep 3Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Sep 2Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- 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 2From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 2). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 18Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on ED.Major
- Jun 17From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on ED. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 16).Major
- Jun 16
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended, but first amend, and re-refer to the Committee on [Education]. Result: pass.Upper
- May 21Referred to Coms. on HUMAN S. and ED.Minor
- May 8In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 320 Bennett Consent Calendar Second Day. Result: pass.Lower
- May 8Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 69. Noes 0. Page 1485.)Passed Assembly
- May 1Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar.Minor
- Apr 30From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (April 30).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 11From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (March 11). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 10Referred to Com. on HUM. S.Minor
- Jan 27Read first time.Minor
- Jan 25From printer. May be heard in committee February 24.
- Jan 24Introduced. To print.Introduced