AB 1755 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

CalWORKS.

Summary

Existing federal law, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, replaced the federal Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program with the federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grant program. Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal TANF block grant program to eligible states. Existing law establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which, through a combination of state and county funds and federal funds received through the TANF program, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Existing law requires aid to be granted to a family with a related child under 18 years of age who has been deprived of parental support or care due to the unemployment, continued absence, death, incapacity, or incarceration of a parent. Existing law considers a child to be deprived of parental support or care due to unemployment of the child's parent or parents when the child's parent or parents have worked less than 100 hours in the preceding 4 weeks and meets specified requirements related to the federal AFDC program. This bill would, for purposes of determining a child's deprivation of parental support or care, delete the requirements that the parent or parents work less than 100 hours in the preceding 4 weeks and meet the federal AFDC program requirements. The bill would instead disregard the number of hours that the child's parent or parents work, provided the family does not exceed the applicable gross or net income limits. The bill would make these provisions operative on July 1, 2027, or when the State Department of Social Services notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement the provisions, whichever is later. To the extent that the bill would expand eligibility for the CalWORKs program, thereby imposing a higher level of service on counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing these provisions. 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.

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Jun 2026

Assembly Passage

May 2026

Senate Passage

Aug 2026

Governor

Introduced Feb 9, 2026 Last action Aug 27, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

08/13/26 - Amended Senate → AB1755 · 3 edits

MINOR

The enrolled version of AB 1755 corrects a structural drafting error from the prior Senate amendment. The earlier version confusingly amended Section 11201 to the new standard and then attempted to amend it back to the old standard with a sunset clause, creating overlapping and contradictory provisions. The enrolled version cleanly amends the existing section only to add a sunset date (July 1, 2027 or when SAWS automation is ready), and separately adds the new section with the expanded eligibility rules. The underlying policy - removing the 100-hour work threshold for CalWORKs eligibility - is unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Fixed a drafting error where the prior version amended Section 11201 to the new eligibility standard and then tried to re-amend it back to the old standard with a sunset. The enrolled version instead amends the existing section only to add subdivision (b) providing for inoperability on July 1, 2027 or when SAWS is ready, and repeal as of January 1 of the following year.

Removed an empty 'SEC. 2.' placeholder that appeared in the prior version between the new Section 11201 and the no-appropriation provision.

Re-numbered sections for clarity: the no-appropriation provision is now clearly SEC. 3 (previously it followed the empty SEC. 2 placeholder), and the state mandates reimbursement provision remains SEC. 4.

06/03/26 - Amended Senate → 08/13/26 - Amended Senate · 6 edits · Aug 13, 2026

MODERATE

The August 13 Senate amendment restructures AB 1755 from a simple immediate repeal of CalWORKs' 100-hour work requirement into a phased implementation approach. The bill now keeps the old eligibility rules in place with a bridge provision allowing current recipients to continue aid regardless of hours worked, sunsets that language on July 1, 2027 or when the Statewide Automated Welfare System is ready (whichever is later), and then activates a new simplified section that removes the work-hour test entirely. This matters because it delays the policy change until technology is in place to support it.

TIMELINE

The bill no longer takes effect immediately upon enactment. Instead, the old 100-hour work requirement remains in force until July 1, 2027 or the date DSS notifies the Legislature that SAWS can handle the automation, whichever is later. The new simplified eligibility rules only become operative on that same trigger date.

ELIGIBILITY

A bridge provision (new subdivision (c) in the amended section) allows families already receiving CalWORKs aid to continue receiving assistance regardless of how many hours the parent works, as long as income limits are met. This prevents a gap in coverage during the transition period.

FISCAL

A new Section 3 explicitly provides that no appropriation pursuant to Section 15200 of the Welfare and Institutions Code (the continuous General Fund appropriation for CalWORKs) shall be made for purposes of implementing this act. This means the state will not draw from the standard CalWORKs funding stream to cover the costs of the new eligibility rules.

ENFORCEMENT

The new Section 11201 includes a provision allowing DSS to implement, interpret, or make specific the section through all-county letters or similar written instructions until formal regulations are adopted, giving the department flexibility during the transition without waiting for the Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking process.

SCOPE

The bill's stated purpose expanded from simply amending Section 11201 to amending, repealing, and adding Section 11201, reflecting the two-step sunset-and-replace structure. The old section is amended to include a sunset clause (inoperative on the trigger date, repealed the following January 1), and a brand-new section with simplified language is added to take its place.

DEFINITION

The bridge provision in the amended section references specific federal regulations (Section 233.100 of Title 45 of the Code of Federal Regulations) for the unemployed parent requirements, excluding subparagraphs (i) through (v) of paragraph (3), providing a precise legal anchor for the interim rules.

Floor votes · Senate Aug 27, 2026 · Assembly May 26, 2026

How they voted

40–0

Passed

Total votes 40

Aug 27, 2026

D Democratic30

30 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican10

10 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0.).

lower

Aug 27, 2026

Introduced

In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

lower

Aug 27, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.).

upper

Aug 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

upper

Aug 13, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).

upper

Jun 29, 2026

Committee

In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

upper

Jun 16, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jun 3, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.

upper

Jun 3, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.

upper

May 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0.)

lower

May 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).

lower

Apr 22, 2026

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

Mar 25, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Feb 23, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on HUM. S.

lower

Feb 10, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 12.

lower

1 primary · 10 co-sponsors