CaliforniaCalWORKs: family violence option and gender-based violence information.
What it does
Existing law provides for the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals. Existing law imposes various requirements on CalWORKs recipients, including the requirement to participate in specified welfare-to-work activities, unless a good cause exception applies. Existing law requires a county to waive a program requirement for a recipient who has been identified as a past or present victim of domestic abuse when it has been determined that good cause under the welfare-to-work requirement exists.
More detail
This bill would, among other things, instead require a county to waive a program requirement for an applicant or recipient who has been identified as a past or present victim of domestic abuse for good cause, and requires the county to find good cause for a waiver when compliance with the program requirement would make it more difficult for the applicant or recipient, or their children, to escape or to stay safe after escaping abuse, or that it would be detrimental or unfairly penalize those applicants or recipients who are or have been victimized by abuse or who are at risk of further domestic abuse. The bill would require counties, within specified timeframes, to notify each applicant or recipient about whether a waiver will be issued, and if a waiver is denied, the specific reasons for the denials. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services, in consultation with stakeholders, to develop a uniform set of written materials that addresses all relevant information and necessary requirements designed to assist individuals to identify, escape, or stop future abuse, overcome the effects of abuse, and make informed decisions, and a standardized waiver request form. The bill would require each county to provide the written materials and standardized waiver request form to each applicant and recipient, as specified. The bill would make these provisions operative on January 1, 2028, or on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the California Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement these provisions, and would authorize the department to implement, interpret, or make specific these provisions through an all-county letter or similar instruction. By imposing duties on counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
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 6Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 386, Statutes of 2025.Latest
- Oct 6Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 24Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.To Governor
- Sep 12Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 80. Noes 0. Page 3383.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 969 Celeste Rodriguez Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Sep 12In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Sep 11Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2933.).Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Special Consent AB969 Celeste Rodriguez By Durazo. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 9Ordered to special consent calendar.
- Sep 8Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Sep 5Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Sep 2Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 29Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 29From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).Major
- Aug 18In committee: Referred to suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jul 8From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (July 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Jul 7
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 26From 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 11Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.Minor
- Jun 3In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 969 Celeste Rodriguez Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Jun 2Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1911.)Passed Assembly
- May 27Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 23Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Lower
- May 23From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 0.) (May 23).Major
- May 23Assembly Rule 63 suspended. (Ayes 51. Noes 16. Page 1644.)
- May 14In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Apr 22Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 21Read second time and amended.Major
- Apr 10From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 8).Major
- Apr 8
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 10Referred to Com. on HUM. S.Minor
- Feb 21From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
- Feb 20Read first time. To print.Introduced