Under existing law, noncitizen victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes, as defined, are eligible for certain public social services and health care services to the same extent as individuals who are admitted to the United States as refugees. Existing law requires that those services discontinue if there is a final administrative denial of a visa application, as specified. Existing law requires that benefits and services under those provisions be paid from state funds to the extent federal funding is unavailable. This bill would prohibit the discontinuance of those services due to the denial of a visa application if the individual is eligible for those services on another basis. The bill would also expand those services to noncitizen victims of parental maltreatment, noncitizen children who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned, and noncitizens who fear persecution. The bill would add to the categories of eligible noncitizen victims for the services individuals who have filed a formal application or petition with the appropriate federal agency for status or relief under the federal Violence Against Women Act, for special immigrant juvenile status, for asylum status, or for parole as family members of victims of severe trafficking, as specified. The bill would also make nonsubstantive conforming changes. By increasing duties for counties to administer and determine eligibility for public social services and health care services, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the Director of Social Services to adopt regulations, which may be emergency regulations, to implement these provisions no later than July 1, 2024. The bill would authorize the State Department of Social Services to implement and administer these provisions through an all-county letter or similar instructions from the director until regulations are adopted. 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.
Sponsored bills
Existing law requires the Department of Community Services and Development to, among other things, plan and evaluate strategies for overcoming poverty in the state, mobilize resources in support of antipoverty and community services programs, and administer public and private funds designed to support antipoverty programs that are not currently administered by other departments. Existing law establishes the Cradle-to-Career Data System for the purpose of connecting individuals and organizations to trusted information and resources, as a source for actionable data and research on education, economic, and health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities, and to provide for expanded access to tools and services that support the education-to-employment pipeline, as specified. This bill, the It Takes a Village Act of 2023, subject upon an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for these purposes, would establish the California Coordinated Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program to be administered by the State Department of Social Services or another department within the California Health and Human Services Agency. The bill would require the department to grant awards on a competitive basis for the 2025–26 through 2027–28 fiscal years to eligible entities that are Promise Neighborhoods, other community-based networks, or multineighborhood regional cradle-to-career networks, as those terms are defined, to either implement a comprehensive, integrated continuum of cradle-to-career solutions at the neighborhood level or support the civic infrastructure and backbone of cradle-to-career networks that support their network partners to accomplish systems change. The bill would define "cradle-to-career" to mean a system of integrated services that begins before birth and leads to appropriate postsecondary success, including academic, occupational, and independent living, that benefits the individual and community as a whole. The bill would require the department, in consultation with the State Department of Education, to develop an application process and would require the department to establish performance standards to measure progress on indicators and results relevant to the evaluation of the grant program. The bill would require grant recipients to contribute matching funds and prepare and submit an annual report to the department, as specified.
Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program to eligible states. Existing law provides for 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, including allowances for other purposes such as pregnancy, homeless assistance, and recurring special needs, to qualified low-income families. This bill would, beginning April 1, 2025, make a menstruating person who is qualified for aid under the CalWORKs program and between 10 and 55 years of age, inclusive, entitled to $20 per month to assist with menstrual product costs. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services to work with the County Welfare Directors Association of California and the California Statewide Automated Welfare System (CalSAWS) to develop and implement the necessary system changes on or before April 1, 2025. By increasing the duties of counties administering the CalWORKs program, 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 the bill. 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.
This measure would declare that the Legislature should pass laws that halt the importation of cobalt or any product using cobalt mined in Africa using child slave labor and encourage the production of cobalt and other critical minerals ethically sourced from within the United States.
This measure would recognize July 17, 2023, to July 23, 2023, as Outdoor Worker Appreciation Week.
This measure would declare the month of October 2023 as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month.
This measure would designate the month of November 2023 to be California's Sikh American Awareness and Appreciation Month. The measure would recognize and acknowledge the significant contributions made by Californians of Sikh heritage to our state and would seek to afford all Californians the opportunity to better understand, recognize, and appreciate the rich history and shared principles of Sikh Americans. The measure would condemn all hate crimes and bias incidents against Sikh Americans and would encourage all Sikhs to practice their faith freely and fearlessly.
This measure would designate the month of October 2023 as California Hindu American Awareness and Appreciation Month. The measure would also recognize and acknowledge the significant contributions made by Californians of Hindu heritage to the state and seek to increase awareness and understanding of the Hindu American community.
This measure would celebrate the history and culture of lowriding and cruising, encourage local officials and law enforcement to work with local car clubs to conduct safe cruising events, and declare the first Sunday of summer to be observed as California Lowrider Day.