Other Social Services
This page tracks California legislation impacting social services that many Urban Indians access. This tracker is updated regularly and provides links to the California Legislative Information website for additional resources.
SB 1380: Senator Mitchell (District 30)
Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council
Summary: This bill would require a state agency or department that funds, implements, or administers a state program that provides housing or housing-related services to people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness, except as specified, to revise or adopt guidelines and regulations to include enumerated Housing First policies. The bill would also establish the Homeless Coordinating and Financing Council to oversee the implementation of the Housing First guidelines and regulations and, among other things, to identify resources, benefits, and services that can be accessed to prevent and end homelessness in California.
Last Action: 08/31/2016 Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 1770: Assembly member Alejo (District 30)
Food assistance program: eligibility
Summary: This bill would provide that a noncitizen is eligible for aid under the Food Assistance Program if he or she is lawfully present in the United States. To the extent this bill would expand eligibility for the Food Assistance Program, which is administered by the counties, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
Last Action: 08/29/2016 Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 1790: Assembly member Weber (District 79)
CalWORKS: welfare-to-work
Summary: This bill would require the county to deem a recipient to be in compliance with CalWORKs’ welfare-to-work requirements if the recipient reports and the county verifies, or the county otherwise discovers, that the recipient meets the federally required minimum average number hours per week of welfare-to-work participation, as specified.
Last Action: 05/27/2016 In committee and held under submission.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 1809: Assembly member Lopez (District 39)
CalWORKS eligibility: asset limits
Summary: This bill would repeal those limitations on assets with regard to eligibility for CalWORKs, thereby eliminating the consideration of an individual’s or family’s assets as a condition of eligibility for CalWORKs. The bill would also make conforming changes. By increasing the duties of counties administering the CalWORKs program, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would declare that no appropriation would be made for purposes of the bill pursuant to the provision continuously appropriating funds for the CalWORKs program.
Last Action: 06/29/2016 Do pass and re-referred to Commitee on Appropriations
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 1742: Assembly member Stone (District 29)
CalWORKS: eligibility
Summary: This bill would provide that a parent or caretaker relative shall not be eligible for CalWORKs aid when he or she has received aid for a cumulative total of 60 months. This bill would increase the amount of exempted disability-based unearned income and other earned income, as specified.
Last Action: 06/29/2016 Do pass and re-referred to Committee on Appropriation
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 1721: Assemblymember Medina (District 61)
Student financial aid: Cal Grant Program
Summary: This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to renew California’s commitment to college affordability by increasing the aid available to needy students through expanding the Cal Grant Program.
Last Action: 06/29/2016 Do pass and re-referred to Committee on Appropriations
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 1560: Senator Mathis (District 31)
Substance abuse programs for veterans
Summary: This bill would, notwithstanding any other law, specifically authorize the department to refer a veteran to drug and alcohol treatment programs for veterans that are administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
Last Action: 3/28/2016 Referred to Committee on Veterans Affairs
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
SB 866: Senator Roth (District 31)
Veterans housing
Summary: This bill would authorize a housing developer or service provider that receives bond moneys pursuant to those provisions to provide housing or services to veterans and their children in women-only facilities facilities in limited instances, as specified.
Last Action: 08/11/2016 In Senate. Concurrence in Assembly amendments pending.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 2507: Assemblymember Gordon (District 24)
Telehealth: access
Summary: This bill would add video communications, telephone communications, email communications, and synchronous text or chat conferencing to the definition of telehealth. The bill would also provide that the required prior consent for telehealth services may be digital as well as oral or written.
Last Action: 05/27/2016 In committee: held under submission
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 2099 : Assemblymember Stone (District 29)
Safe drinking water assistance program
Summary: This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to, on or before February 1, 2017, convene a workgroup to develop recommendations for delivering a water benefit to supplement the purchase of drinking water for low-income households with inadequate access to safe drinking water, as specified. The bill would require the workgroup to consist of representatives from specified entities, including the Department of Water Resources, the Office of Emergency Services, and applicable community advocates, and would require the workgroup to develop recommendations that include, among other things, an implementation plan for identification of eligible households and delivery of the benefit to those households.
Last Action: 06/16/2016 Re-referred to Committee on Appropriations
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 1741: Assemblymember Rodriguez (District 52)
California Community Colleges Promise Program
Summary: This bill would establish the California College Promise Innovation Grant Program, under the administration of the chancellor, which would require the chancellor to distribute multiyear grants, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to the governing boards of community college districts, who meet certain requirements, to support the establishment of regional programs with the goals of increasing college preparation, college access, and college success. The bill would require the chancellor to annually submit to the Legislature a specified report on the status of the program
Last Action: 08/30/2016 Enrolled and presented to the Governor
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
AB 1583: Assemblymember Santiago (District 53)
Postsecondary education: community colleges.
Summary: Existing law requires community college district governing boards to charge students an enrollment fee of $46 per unit per semester.This bill would revise some of these circumstances by raising the amount of income a student can earn and still qualify for a fee waiver to no lower than three times the current federal poverty level and by lowering the amount of unmet financial need a student needs to demonstrate to qualify for a fee waiver to at least one dollar.The bill would require the board of governors to establish a need-based aid program to provide fee waiver recipients with financial resources, not to exceed $1,000 per student per year, for the purpose of offsetting a portion of the costs associated with the purchase of books, supplies, transportation, and other general living expenses. To the extent the bill would impose new duties on community college districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.
Last Action: 06/29/2016 In committee: Set, second hearing. Failed passage. Reconsideration granted.
For more information on this bill please check the Official California Legislative Information site here
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