Rep. Celeste Rodriguez

Existing federal law provides for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing federal law, through Disaster SNAP, provides for short-term food assistance benefits to eligible households who are victims of a disaster that disrupts commercial channels of food distribution. This bill would, during a federal government shutdown that impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits, require the State Department of Social Services to maintain a clearly marked landing page on the department's internet website to provide the public with information on how their benefits will be impacted, including information on the status of the federal government shutdown and the availability of benefits. The bill would also require the department, in coordination with stakeholders, to establish a strategic communications plan for use during a federal government shutdown that impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits that includes updates to the landing page on the department's internet website, deployment of social media posts, and emergency response briefings for local and state officials, local government agencies, community organizations, and participating retailers, as specified. The bill would require the department to develop a benefit issuance mechanism to allow the department flexibility to rapidly provide nutrition benefits on an emergency basis in response to a federal government shutdown that impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits, and would require the mechanism to be designed to issue nutrition benefits through the existing electronic benefits transfer system and in a manner that can target various populations depending on the purpose of the specific benefit. The bill would make this provision operative when the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement this provision.

Existing law requires a health care provider entity, as defined, to designate areas where a patient is receiving treatment or care, or where a patient is discussing protected health information, as nonpublic, in order to enhance privacy available to facility users and promote a safe environment conducive to the facility's mission and patient care. Unless required by state or federal law, existing law prohibits a health care provider entity and its personnel from allowing any person access to the nonpublic areas of the facility for immigration enforcement purposes, unless that person has a valid judicial warrant or court order that specifically grants access to the nonpublic areas of the facility. Existing law requires a health care provider entity to inform staff and relevant volunteers on how to respond to requests relating to immigration enforcement that grants access to health care provider entity sites or to patients. This bill would also require a health care provider entity to inform staff and relevant volunteers on how to respond to requests by a person who is in custody by immigration enforcement to notify a family member or designated support person about their current location. Existing law requires a health care provider entity, to the extent possible, to establish or amend procedures for monitoring, documenting, and receiving visitors to health care provider entities consistent with the above-described and related provisions. Under existing law, a health care provider entity is encouraged to post a "notice to authorities" at facility entrances that states that no person will be permitted to access nonpublic areas of a facility for immigration enforcement purposes unless required by state or federal law or pursuant to a valid physical judicial warrant or court order. This bill would instead require the health care provider entity to establish or amend those procedures, without the qualification that the process be to the extent possible. The bill would also require, instead of encouraging, the entity to post the above-described notice, at the facility's main public entrances, as defined. The bill would repeal these changes on January 1, 2030. To the extent that the bill would create new duties for health care provider entities administered by a county, city, or other local public jurisdiction, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.

Existing law, the Cal Grant Program, establishes the Cal Grant A Entitlement Awards, the Cal Grant B Entitlement Awards, the California Community College Expanded Entitlement Awards, the California Community College Transfer Entitlement Awards, the Competitive Cal Grant A and B Awards, the Cal Grant C Awards, and the Cal Grant T Awards under the administration of the Student Aid Commission. Existing law establishes eligibility requirements for awards under the Cal Grant Program for participating students attending qualifying postsecondary educational institutions, and prescribes requirements that postsecondary educational institutions must comply with in order to be a qualifying postsecondary educational institution for purposes of the Cal Grant Program, including, among others, certain disclosure requirements. This bill would require, as part of the criteria to be a qualifying institution under the Cal Grant Program, an institution, no later than the start of the 2027–28 academic year, to develop and implement a cost of attendance policy and adjustment process to estimate and adjust cost of attendance information in a manner that is consistent with federal standards, as specified.

Existing law, the Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act, authorizes the involuntary commitment and treatment of a person, when the person, as a result of a mental health disorder, is a danger to themselves or others, or is gravely disabled. Existing law grants persons involuntarily detained in state hospitals as a result of developmental or mental health disabilities specified rights, including a right to dignity, privacy, and humane care, to be free from harm, to religious freedom and practice, and to physical exercise and recreational opportunities. This bill, the Civil Detainees' Bill of Rights Act of 2026, would clarify that all persons housed or detained for purposes of civil immigration proceedings in California at any state, county, local, or private locked detention facility, including any county, local, or private locked detention facility in which an individual is housed or detained on behalf of, or pursuant to a contract with, the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement or the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, have the legal rights and responsibilities guaranteed all other persons by the United States Constitution and federal law and the California Constitution and state law, unless specifically limited by federal or state law or regulations. The bill would grant persons housed or detained for the purposes of civil immigration proceedings in California certain rights, including a right to dignity, privacy, and humane care, a right to clean facilities and living quarters, and a right to safe and healthy food. The bill would reaffirm the intent of the Legislature that individuals housed or detained as a result of developmental or mental health disabilities have the rights described above. The bill would require the rights of individuals involuntarily housed as a result of developmental or mental health disabilities or civilly detained in California to be observed and protected by the operator of any facility in California in which the individuals are housed or civilly detained. The bill would authorize the Attorney General to bring a civil action for injunctive and other relief in order to protect any of the above-described rights, and would additionally authorize the Attorney General to seek a civil penalty not to exceed $2,500 for each violation. The bill would require all necessary access for the observations necessary to ensure compliance with the above-described requirements to be provided to the Attorney General. The bill would make related findings and declarations. The bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Existing law authorizes an unmarried person who is under 18 years of age to marry upon obtaining a court order granting permission and the written consent of at least one of the parents or the guardian of each underage party to the marriage, as specified. Existing law requires the court, if it considers it necessary, as part of the court order granting permission to marry, to require the parties to the prospective marriage of a minor to participate in premarital counseling, as specified. Existing law provides that 2 unmarried, unrelated adults who have chosen to share one another's lives in an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring may establish a domestic partnership by filing a declaration with the Secretary of State, if certain requirements are met. Existing law provides that a person under 18 years of age who, together with the person with whom the person proposes to establish a domestic partnership, meets the requirements for a domestic partnership other than the requirement of being at least 18 years of age, is capable of consenting to and establishing a domestic partnership upon obtaining a court order granting permission to the underage person or persons to establish a domestic partnership. Under existing law, registered domestic partners have the same rights, protections, and benefits as spouses. This bill would repeal the authorization for a person under 18 years of age to be issued a marriage license or to establish a domestic partnership, thereby prohibiting a person under 18 years of age from being issued a marriage license or from establishing a domestic partnership. The bill would make conforming changes. Existing law requires the State Registrar to create a document, no later than March 1, 2020, concerning marriage certificates in which one or both of the parties were minors at the time of solemnization of the marriage. Existing law requires the State Registrar to update that document annually, as specified. Existing law requires the local registrar to submit specified information for the purposes of that report. This bill would repeal those provisions.

Existing law, the Reproductive Privacy Act, declares as contrary to the public policy of this state a law of another state that authorizes a person to bring a civil action against a person or entity that engages in certain activities relating to obtaining or performing an abortion. Existing law prohibits the state from applying an out-of-state law to a case or controversy in state court or enforcing or satisfying a civil judgment under the out-of-state law. This bill would specify that the protections applicable to persons who engage in legally protected health care activity, as defined, apply to a person who previously has undertaken one or more acts or omissions while in another United States jurisdiction to aid or encourage, or attempt to aid or encourage, any person in the exercise and enjoyment, or attempted exercise and enjoyment, of rights to reproductive health care services or gender affirming health care services if the acts or omissions were permissible under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the person was located at the time of the acts or omissions. Existing law prohibits a state or local law enforcement agency or officer from knowingly arresting or knowingly participating in the arrest of any person for performing, supporting, or aiding in the performance of legally protected health care activity, if the health care activity is lawful in this state. Existing law prohibits a state or local public agency from cooperating with or providing information to an individual or agency from another state or a federal law enforcement agency, as specified, regarding a legally protected health care activity that is lawful in this state. Under existing law, the Governor may surrender, on demand of executive authority of any other state, any person in this state charged in the other state, as specified, with committing an act in this state, or in a 3rd state, intentionally resulting in a crime in the state whose executive authority is making the demand. This bill would prohibit the Governor from recognizing a request for extradition of a person subject to criminal liability based on the alleged provision or receipt of, assistance in the provision or receipt of, material support for, or in any theory of vicarious, joint, several, or conspiracy liability for any legally protected health care activity, except as specified.

This measure would urge the President of the United States and Congress of the United States to immediately restore full and consistent funding and staffing for the National Park Service.

Maddy summaryAJR 17 is a legislative resolution that expresses support for the immigration provisions originally established in the Immigration Act of 1929. It serves to state the legislative body's position regarding these historical immigration policies.

Maddy summaryCalifornia Assembly Resolution 140 designates August 2026 as Children's Get Offline and Get Outdoors Month to promote awareness of the benefits of screen-free play for child development. The resolution cites research linking excessive social media use and reduced free play time to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and other behavioral issues among teenagers. It encourages families and communities to support unstructured outdoor activities and highlights ongoing federal efforts to protect children's mental health through technology guardrails.

Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, subject to an appropriation, to provide grants to qualified nonprofit organizations through contracts, in order to provide certain immigration-related legal services to persons residing in, or formerly residing in, the state. Under existing law, those grants are aimed at obtaining certain immigration remedies and benefits, assisting with the naturalization process and an appeal arising from the process, or providing legal training and technical assistance. This bill would establish the Immigration Legal Fellowship Project within the department for the purpose of expanding access to high-quality immigration legal services by supporting legal fellowships for qualified individuals who provide immigration legal services under the grant programs described above. The bill would require the department to award grants or enter into contracts with nonprofit entities to operate legal fellowships that include specified components, including, among other things, the recruitment, placement, coordination, and hosting of legal fellows. The bill would authorize the department to establish eligibility criteria, application requirements, and funding priorities for the program. The bill would require the department to include specified information relating to the use of funds appropriated for the purposes of the project in reports and updates provided to the Legislature regarding other immigration-related programs. The bill would provide that the implementation of these provisions is contingent on an appropriation for these purposes.