CalWORKs: family violence option and gender-based violence information.

Sections 11495.15 and 11495.16 are now amended (not simply repealed) to create transitional provisions that remain operative until January 1, 2028 or CalSAWS automation readiness, whichever is later, and are then automatically repealed as of the following January 1.

The new expanded Section 11495.15 (with detailed good cause waiver standards, six-month reevaluation, notice requirements) now has an operative date of January 1, 2028 or CalSAWS automation readiness, whichever is later.

The new expanded Section 11495.16 (requiring statewide written materials and a standardized waiver request form) now has the same delayed operative date of January 1, 2028 or CalSAWS automation readiness.

The requirement that the department issue regulations describing the protocol by January 1, 2028 (former Section 11495.1(c)) was deleted entirely.

The former Section 8, which required the department to implement the act through an all-county letter by July 1, 2026, was deleted.

The January 1, 2027 deadline for developing the statewide written materials and standardized waiver form (in new Section 11495.16(a)) was removed, leaving no explicit deadline for that development task.

The transitional Section 11495.15(a) uses a simpler standard: counties must waive requirements when good cause exists under the existing Section 11320.3(f)(2), rather than applying the new expanded good cause definition immediately.

Section 11495.1(a) now separately cites federal Section 402(a)(7) for the family violence option and Section 402(a)(8) for survivor of abuse requirements, rather than grouping them together under a single TANF reference.

Removed the statutory definition of 'abuse' from Section 11495, which previously defined it as including sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. The section now contains only the legislative intent language without a definitional subdivision.

Removed the requirement in Section 11495.16 that the department automate CalSAWS and provide the written materials and standardized waiver request form on BenefitsCal by January 1, 2028 to ensure technology access for abuse survivors.

Simplified the federal alignment language in Section 11495.1(a), removing the reference to the 'Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program' and fixing a redundant citation of Sections 402(a)(7) and 402(a)(8).

Resolved duplicate section numbering errors where Sections 3, 5, and 6 previously contained both a repeal and an amendment/addition of the same code section. The enrolled version uses only the amendment or addition language.

Removed the formal state authentication header (STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AUTHENTICATED, ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL) and traditional page numbering/chapter formatting in favor of a web page layout with navigation menus, search tools, and version history dropdown.

The bill header changed from the Assembly/Senate passage format to the official 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL' format with Chapter 386 designation.

Page headers changed from 'AB 969' format to 'Ch. 386' format throughout the document.

The Governor's approval and filing date was filled in: Approved by Governor October 6, 2025, Filed with Secretary of State October 6, 2025.

Section 11495.1(a) now requires the department to align CalWORKs family violence and gender-based violence provisions with federal TANF requirements under Sections 402(a)(7) and 402(a)(8) of the Social Security Act, and prohibits state provisions from being more restrictive than federal ones.

New Section 11495.15(a)(3) provides that a county shall not deny a waiver absent documentary evidence that the applicant or recipient could comply with the requirement without it making escape from abuse more difficult or being detrimental. This shifts the burden of proof to the county.

New Section 11495.15(a)(4) requires the department, in conjunction with counties, advocates, and current or former recipient survivors, to develop statewide standards for determining when there is good cause to issue a waiver.

Section 11495.15(c) now allows a county to reevaluate a waiver more frequently than every six months if the applicant or recipient reports changed circumstances, whereas the prior version had no such exception.

Section 11495.15(b) now prohibits a county from discontinuing a waiver on the basis that a survivor voluntarily chooses to participate in welfare-to-work activities.

Section 11495.15(d) now prohibits a county from taking any adverse action against a recipient for noncompliance with a program requirement while a waiver request is pending for that requirement.

The deadline for the department to develop uniform written materials and a standardized waiver request form was extended from July 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027.

A new deadline of January 1, 2028 was added for the department to automate CalSAWS and provide the written materials and waiver request form on BenefitsCal. The prior version had no specific deadline for this requirement.

Waiver eligibility expanded from 'recipient' to 'applicant or recipient,' meaning people who have not yet been approved for CalWORKs can now request waivers of program requirements if they are survivors of domestic abuse.

Added the standard 'or to stay safe after escaping abuse' throughout the waiver provisions, broadening when a county must find good cause to waive a requirement beyond just making escape more difficult.

New provision requires a county to find good cause for a waiver when compliance would make it more difficult to escape or stay safe after escaping abuse, or would be detrimental or unfairly penalize the survivor. This creates an affirmative obligation rather than leaving the determination entirely to county discretion.

The evidence standard for denying a waiver was tightened: a county must now have 'evidence, substantiated by documentation' that a requirement would not make escape more difficult, raising the bar for denial.

Removed two federal penalty safeguard provisions: one that would have blocked time-limit waivers if federal law clarified abuse victims are included in the 20 percent hardship exemption, and another that would have blocked work requirement waivers if the state would be penalized for failing to meet participation rates due to those waivers.

Removed the requirement for the State Department of Social Services to convene a task force with district attorney domestic violence units, county welfare directors, state associations, domestic violence prevention groups, health care services, public health, and emergency management agencies. The department now develops protocols directly without that mandated multi-stakeholder process.

The deadline for the department to issue regulations describing the protocol was extended from January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2028.

The deadline for the department to develop uniform written materials and a standardized waiver request form was extended from January 1, 2026 to July 1, 2026.

The deadline for the department to implement the act through an all-county letter was extended from January 1, 2026 to July 1, 2026.

Removed the operative date provision (July 1, 2018) from Section 11495.17, which was a leftover from prior legislation.

The standardized waiver request form description was revised to emphasize that it 'allows an applicant or recipient to identify the specific program requirements that they need waived' rather than simply stating what the form shall include.

Removed legislative intent language requiring CalWORKs provisions to align with and not be more restrictive than federal TANF requirements under Sections 402(a)(7) and 402(a)(8) of the Social Security Act. The new intent focuses solely on maximizing protections for survivors without reference to federal alignment.

Broadened the legislative reporting requirement in Section 11495.17 from counting only 'CalWORKs welfare-to-work recipients' identified as potential victims of domestic abuse to all 'CalWORKs recipients,' expanding which population is tracked in the annual report.

Removed the term 'gender-based violence' from the definition section. The old version defined both 'abuse' and 'gender-based violence' as including sexual harassment, sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. The new version defines only 'abuse' with the same list.

Extended the deadline for the State Department of Social Services to issue regulations describing the protocol from January 1, 2027 to January 1, 2028 (one-year extension).

Extended the deadline for the all-county letter implementing the act from January 1, 2026 to July 1, 2026 (six-month extension).

Added 'substantiated by documentation' to the standard counties must meet to deny a waiver. Previously counties only needed 'evidence' that a requirement would not make it more difficult for a survivor to escape abuse; now that evidence must be documented.