Human services.
What changed between versions
The bill went from a single placeholder section to dozens of sections amending the Government Code, Health and Safety Code, and Welfare and Institutions Code, covering at least 14 distinct program areas including home care licensing, CalFresh, CalWORKs, IHSS, Adoption Assistance, EBT systems, tribal programs, youth justice, and immigration legal services.
Appropriates $344,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Social Services for 2026-27 for CalFresh transparency initiatives, available until September 30, 2029. Also authorizes General Fund moneys beginning July 1, 2026 to help support the Home Care Services Consumer Protection Act program alongside fee revenues.
Increases CalWORKs maximum aid payments by 1.8% commencing October 1, 2026 (up from a prior 0.3% increase that took effect October 1, 2024).
Caps county CalFresh administrative cost contributions during 2026-27 through 2028-29 fiscal years at the lower of the county's 2024-25 expenditure or the amount required to receive its full General Fund allocation under the Budget Act of 2024. Provisions become inoperative July 1, 2030 and are repealed January 1, 2031.
Restructures Adoption Assistance Program payments for out-of-home placements beginning January 1, 2028: limits payments to licensed short-term residential therapeutic programs only, caps authorization at 12 months cumulative (with one-time 6-month extension), and authorizes wraparound services in lieu of out-of-home placement with consecutive reauthorizations permitted.
Requires CalFresh and CFAP overissuance claims arising from the same error or intentional program violation to be recovered through minimum allotment reductions consecutively, commencing October 1, 2027 or when CWS automation is ready. Imposes a state-mandated local program.
Expands the Office of Youth and Community Restoration ombudsperson's authority to meet with youth individually or in groups, specifies permitted equipment (state-issued computers, recording devices, cameras, internet access technology), and expands the definition of 'record' to include grievances or complaints. Requires posters be posted near telephones youth can use to call the ombudsperson.
Transitions home care organization license renewal from every 2 years to annually beginning January 1, 2029. Sets initial license fee at $5,603, 2-year renewal fee at $5,603 (until 2029), and annual license fee at $2,802 (from 2029). Adds late fees, payment processing fees, and probation monitoring fees beginning January 1, 2029.
Extends the California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program: report due by June 1, 2028; provisions become inoperative January 1, 2029 (extended from 2028) and are repealed January 1, 2030 (extended from 2029).
Extends the California Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project operation from January 1, 2027 to June 30, 2028. Extends the department's authority to issue all-county letters for EBT benefit replacement protocols from June 30, 2026 to June 30, 2030.
Extends the Mello-Granlund Older Californians Act deadline for the Department of Aging to identify older adult programs and develop a statewide consumer engagement plan from September 30, 2026 to September 30, 2027.
Changes IHSS collective bargaining dispute resolution: for factfinding panel recommendations released before June 30, 2026, counties get 90 days to reach agreement (instead of 30 days), with Realignment fund withholding occurring on October 1, 2026 if no agreement is reached.
Extends the deadline for the department to adopt regulations requiring biennial inspections of home care organizations from January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2028. Also extends the hate incident/crime grant program report deadline and changes the program sunset from June 30, 2026 to June 30, 2029 (inoperative) and January 1, 2030 (repealed).
Establishes the Tribal Foster Care Prevention Initiative to provide state funding to federally recognized Indian tribes in California for services aimed at preserving families and preventing children from entering foster care. Requires annual letter of interest by May 1 and progress reports by September 30 following each fiscal year.
Prohibits funds in federal Trump accounts (under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) from being counted as income or assets for means-tested program eligibility, mirroring existing protections for California HOPE trust accounts. Operative July 1, 2026 or when CWS-CARES automation is ready, whichever is later.
Expands immigration-related legal services program eligibility to include immigrants younger than 21 in removal proceedings (previously limited to unaccompanied undocumented minors transferred to federal custody), and expands covered services to include social services. Requires contracts to prioritize social services for eligible immigrant youth.
Adds new Chapter 3.66 to the Health and Safety Code authorizing electronic signatures and electronic payments for users of SSD information technology systems, with users responsible for associated payment processing costs.