CA AB 2161
enactedMedi-Cal eligibility: work or community engagement.
California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · lower
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Quick answers
Did CA AB 2161 pass?
Yes. CA AB 2161 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-09-15): Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 209, Statutes of 2026.
What is CA AB 2161 about?
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is in part governed by, and funded pursuant to, federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing federal law generally requires, commencing in 2027, Medicaid beneficiaries between 19 and 64 years of age, inclusive, with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level, commonly known as Medicaid expansion adults, to demonstrate community engagement as a condition of Medicaid eligibility. Existing state law sets forth various provisions to conform to that federal requirement. Existing law requires, no sooner than January 1, 2027, as specified, an applicable individual to demonstrate work or community engagement. Existing law sets forth the mechanisms for an applicable individual to comply with that requirement on a monthly basis, including, among others, a minimum of 80 hours of work, community service, or participation in a work program, or a minimum of half-time enrollment in an educational program. This bill would make changes to the definitions of "applicable individual," "work program," and "educational program," and to some of the compliance mechanisms regarding monthly income, for purposes of the above-described provisions. When there is a conflict in reliable data sources that adversely impacts the eligibility of an applicant or beneficiary, the bill would require the county to request the applicant or beneficiary to confirm information before taking any adverse action on the application or renewal. Existing law requires a county, if it is unable to verify that an applicable individual either has met the requirement to demonstrate work or community engagement or was deemed to have demonstrated work or community engagement, to provide the individual with a notice of noncompliance, as specified, and to continue to provide the individual with Medi-Cal services during a 30-calendar-day period if the individual is enrolled in the Medi-Cal program. This bill would require the county to notify applicable individuals enrolled in the Medi-Cal program of the requirement to demonstrate work or community engagement based on certain delivery formats. For an applicable individual renewing their Medi-Cal enrollment during a 6-month redetermination period and who otherwise meets all other eligibility criteria, the bill would require the county to maintain active eligibility pending verification of work or community engagement until at least the last day of the month of the 30-calendar-day period. Under the bill, an applicable individual would be deemed to have received the notice of noncompliance 5 days after the date on the notice. Under the bill, self-attestation that the individual did not receive a timely notice would constitute good cause for not providing a satisfactory showing within the 30-calendar-day period. If no satisfactory showing is made after the 30-calendar-day period, the bill would require the department to consider all other bases of eligibility for medical assistance under the Medi-Cal state plan prior to denying coverage at application or determining that an individual is ineligible. The bill would authorize the department to defer implementation of any of the above-described changes if the change would result in a fiscal impact that would require an additional appropriation and that additional appropriation has not been made, as specified. By creating new duties for counties relating to Medi-Cal eligibility determinations with regard to work or community engagement, 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.
Who sponsors CA AB 2161?
Bonta is the primary sponsor of CA AB 2161, joined by 4 cosponsors.
Description
Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. The Medi-Cal program is in part governed by, and funded pursuant to, federal Medicaid program provisions. Existing federal law generally requires, commencing in 2027, Medicaid beneficiaries between 19 and 64 years of age, inclusive, with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level, commonly known as Medicaid expansion adults, to demonstrate community engagement as a condition of Medicaid eligibility. Existing state law sets forth various provisions to conform to that federal requirement. Existing law requires, no sooner than January 1, 2027, as specified, an applicable individual to demonstrate work or community engagement. Existing law sets forth the mechanisms for an applicable individual to comply with that requirement on a monthly basis, including, among others, a minimum of 80 hours of work, community service, or participation in a work program, or a minimum of half-time enrollment in an educational program. This bill would make changes to the definitions of "applicable individual," "work program," and "educational program," and to some of the compliance mechanisms regarding monthly income, for purposes of the above-described provisions. When there is a conflict in reliable data sources that adversely impacts the eligibility of an applicant or beneficiary, the bill would require the county to request the applicant or beneficiary to confirm information before taking any adverse action on the application or renewal. Existing law requires a county, if it is unable to verify that an applicable individual either has met the requirement to demonstrate work or community engagement or was deemed to have demonstrated work or community engagement, to provide the individual with a notice of noncompliance, as specified, and to continue to provide the individual with Medi-Cal services during a 30-calendar-day period if the individual is enrolled in the Medi-Cal program. This bill would require the county to notify applicable individuals enrolled in the Medi-Cal program of the requirement to demonstrate work or community engagement based on certain delivery formats. For an applicable individual renewing their Medi-Cal enrollment during a 6-month redetermination period and who otherwise meets all other eligibility criteria, the bill would require the county to maintain active eligibility pending verification of work or community engagement until at least the last day of the month of the 30-calendar-day period. Under the bill, an applicable individual would be deemed to have received the notice of noncompliance 5 days after the date on the notice. Under the bill, self-attestation that the individual did not receive a timely notice would constitute good cause for not providing a satisfactory showing within the 30-calendar-day period. If no satisfactory showing is made after the 30-calendar-day period, the bill would require the department to consider all other bases of eligibility for medical assistance under the Medi-Cal state plan prior to denying coverage at application or determining that an individual is ineligible. The bill would authorize the department to defer implementation of any of the above-described changes if the change would result in a fiscal impact that would require an additional appropriation and that additional appropriation has not been made, as specified. By creating new duties for counties relating to Medi-Cal eligibility determinations with regard to work or community engagement, 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.
- Introduced
- 2026-03-23
- Latest action
- 2026-09-15 — Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 209, Statutes of 2026.
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- Bontaauthor
- Boernercoauthor
- Stefanicoauthor
- Aguiar-Currycoauthor
- Calozacoauthor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-09-15
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 209, Statutes of 2026.
became-law
2026-09-15
Approved by the Governor.
executive-signature
2026-09-14
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 209, Statutes of 2026.
became-law
2026-09-14
Approved by the Governor.
executive-signature
2026-09-03
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
executive-receipt
2026-08-26
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 60. Noes 11.).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-08-26
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 60. Noes 11. Page 6567.).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2026-08-25
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2026-08-25
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 8.).
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-08-20
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-08-19
Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-08-17
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-08-13
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 13).
amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage
2026-08-13
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2026-08-03
In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
referral-committee
2026-07-02
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 2.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2026-06-03
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
referral-committee
2026-05-27
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
reading-1,referral-committee
2026-05-26
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 58. Noes 12.)
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2026-05-26
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 58. Noes 12. Page 5375.)
2026-05-19
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2026-05-18
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
amendment-passage,reading-1,reading-2
2026-05-14
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (May 14).
amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage
2026-04-29
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
referral-committee
2026-04-08
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 12. Noes 2.) (April 7). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2026-04-08
Coauthors revised.
2026-03-24
Re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.
referral-committee
2026-03-23
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.
amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2026-03-02
Referred to Com. on HEALTH.
referral-committee
2026-02-19
From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.
2026-02-18
Read first time. To print.
reading-1
Versions
- 02/18/26 - Introduced — 2026-02-18Compare
- 03/23/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-03-23Compare
- 05/18/26 - Amended Assembly — 2026-05-18Compare
- 08/13/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-08-13Compare
- 08/19/26 - Amended Senate — 2026-08-19Compare
- 08/30/26 - Enrolled — 2026-08-30Compare
- 09/14/26 - Chaptered — 2026-09-14Compare
- (document, no version)Compare
- AB2161Compare
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Votes
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2026-04-07 · pass · 12-2
Member-level votes (16)
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Schiavo: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Bonta: yes
- Carrillo: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Addis: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Patel: yes
- Johnson: no
- Sanchez: no
- Chen: other
- Patterson: other
Do pass as amended.
2026-05-14 · pass · 11-2
Member-level votes (15)
- Krell: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Fong: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Solache: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Tangipa: no
- Dixon: no
- Ta: other
- Hoover: other
AB 2161 Bonta Assembly Third Reading
2026-05-27 · pass · 58-12
Member-level votes (80)
- Ward: yes
- Patel: yes
- Hart: yes
- Valencia: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Gabriel: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Nguyen: yes
- Lee: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Connolly: yes
- Haney: yes
- Ramos: yes
- Ortega: yes
- Soria: yes
- Papan: yes
- Zbur: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Solache: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Ávila Farías: yes
- Garcia: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Krell: yes
- Alvarez: yes
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Blanca Rubio: yes
- Berman: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Schultz: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Bonta: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Gipson: yes
- Ransom: yes
- Petrie-Norris: yes
- Quirk-Silva: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Bains: yes
- Carrillo: yes
- Boerner: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Irwin: yes
- Fong: yes
- Schiavo: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Addis: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Rivas: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Michelle Rodriguez: yes
- Hadwick: no
- Dixon: no
- Macedo: no
- Ellis: no
- Gallagher: no
- Jeff Gonzalez: no
- DeMaio: no
- Johnson: no
- Davies: no
- Tangipa: no
- Sanchez: no
- Patterson: no
- Flora: other
- Lackey: other
- Hoover: other
- Castillo: other
- Chen: other
- Celeste Rodriguez: other
- Muratsuchi: other
- Wallis: other
- Alanis: other
- Ta: other
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2026-07-01 · pass · 8-2
Member-level votes (11)
- Durazo: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Pérez: yes
- Menjivar: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Grove: no
- Valladares: no
- Rubio: other
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
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