Public social services: support for older and aging immigrants.

The definition of 'older and aging' was raised from 55 years of age or older to 60 years of age or older, narrowing which immigrants would be covered by the panel's findings and recommendations.

The required experience for the Speaker and President pro Tempore appointees was narrowed from 'experience in immigrant rights or aging advocacy' to just 'experience in aging advocacy,' removing the specific immigrant rights focus.

The deadline for the first panel meeting was extended from 90 days to 120 days after funding becomes available, giving the departments more time to convene.

New language allows the director of the Department of Aging to modify an existing panel for the purposes of this article, rather than requiring a brand new panel to be created from scratch.

The authority to contract with academic research entities was narrowed from both the Department of Aging and the State Department of Social Services jointly to just the Department of Aging alone.

'Trusted community partners' were added to the list of stakeholders the panel must invite to participate in the process.

The legislative findings were restructured into three separate findings, adding a reference to the Governor's Master Plan for Aging goal of 'inclusion and equity, not isolation' and broadening the framing beyond just immigrants who worked in California.

The document changed from an authenticated chaptered format (with STATE OF CALIFORNIA / AUTHENTICATED / ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL headers) to a web page display format that includes site navigation, version history links, publication date, and vote/appropriation metadata. No legislative text was altered.

The bill was reformatted from enrolled bill layout to chaptered law layout, including new header (STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL), assignment of Chapter 364, and addition of the Governor's approval date of October 6, 2025.

Assembly and Senate passage headers, clerk signatures, and the blank gubernatorial signature block were removed as part of standard chaptering procedure.

The Department of Aging is now the sole lead agency overseeing the stakeholder process and establishing the panel. The State Department of Social Services is no longer a co-lead but is required to have representatives on the panel.

All detailed panel composition requirements were removed, including: 6 members appointed by the department (3 from nonprofit organizations representing aging or immigrant populations, 3 from clinical/health care serving rural communities), 1 member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, 1 by the President pro Tempore of the Senate, and 2 by the State Department of Social Services. Also removed: 2-year member terms, removal for missing two meetings, and the no-per-diem provision.

The requirement that the departments jointly provide policy recommendations to the California Health and Human Services Agency for inclusion in the Master Plan for Aging (established under Executive Order N-14-19) was removed.

The definition of 'older and aging' was changed from an adult 55 years of age or older to an adult 60 years of age or older, narrowing the population covered by the bill.

The deadline for the panel's first meeting was extended from 90 days to 120 days after funding becomes available.

The bill's target population was expanded from 'undocumented older adults' to 'older and aging immigrants, regardless of their immigration status,' meaning documented immigrants are now explicitly included in the scope of the stakeholder process and recommendations.

The State Department of Social Services (SDSS) was added as a joint lead agency alongside the Department of Aging for overseeing the stakeholder process, establishing the panel, contracting with research entities, submitting findings to the Legislature, and providing recommendations to the California Health and Human Services Agency.

Two new panel members appointed by SDSS with experience in administering social services were added, increasing the total panel size from 8 to 10 members.

The amendment to Section 18937 of the Welfare and Institutions Code (which made technical, nonsubstantive changes to the cash assistance program for aged, blind, and disabled legal immigrants) was removed entirely from the bill.

The defined term 'older adult' was changed to 'older and aging,' keeping the same 55-year age threshold but aligning terminology with the broader scope language used throughout the bill.

The fiscal committee vote requirement changed from 'no' to 'yes,' meaning the bill now requires a recommendation from the appropriate fiscal committee before passage.

The target population was reframed from 'aging immigrant and undocumented older adults' to 'older and aging immigrants, regardless of their immigration status.' This removes the explicit reference to 'undocumented' people and uses broader language about all older immigrants in California.

The Senate panel member appointment was changed from the Senate Committee on Rules to the Senate President pro Tempore. This shifts the appointment authority from a committee to the most senior Senate leader, potentially changing the political dynamics of panel composition.

The defined term was changed from 'older adult' (meaning an adult 55 years of age or older) to 'older and aging' (same 55-year threshold), aligning the statutory definition with the new terminology used throughout the bill.

Added a new Article 6 (Sections 9170-9175) to Chapter 2 of Division 8.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, creating a stakeholder process overseen by the California Department of Aging to develop findings and recommendations on supporting undocumented older adults as they age in California.

Requires the Department of Aging to establish a panel with specific membership: six members appointed by the department (three from nonprofits representing aging or immigrant populations, three from clinical/healthcare serving rural and under-resourced communities), one member appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, and one member appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. Members serve two-year terms and receive no per diem.

Requires the panel to invite stakeholders including clinics, researchers, housing advocates, and nonprofits, and to consider issues including affordability, guaranteed basic income, access to social services and housing, and access to health care services including specialist and language access.

Requires the department to provide any policy recommendations from the panel to the California Health and Human Services Agency for inclusion in the Master Plan for Aging established under Executive Order N-14-19.

Sets a timeline: first meeting within 90 days of funding becoming available; panel findings due by July 1, 2028; department report to the Legislature by December 31, 2028; article sunsets on January 1, 2029.

The new provisions are subject to legislative appropriation. The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating a potential state fiscal impact.

Defines 'older adult' as an adult 55 years of age or older for purposes of the new article.

Made minor wording corrections to Section 18937, including fixing a garbled sentence about application requirements ('No application shall An application shall not be required' corrected to 'An application shall not be required') and adjusting phrasing around federal government responsibilities.