CA AB 42
enactedCalWORKs: CalFresh: eligibility: income and resource exclusions.
California · 2025-2026 Regular Session · lower
Quick answers
Did CA AB 42 pass?
Yes. CA AB 42 has been enacted into law as of 2025-10-07. Latest recorded action (2025-10-07): Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 430, Statutes of 2025.
What is CA AB 42 about?
Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds to eligible states through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program. Existing state 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 to qualified low-income families. Under existing law, certain types of payments received by recipients of aid under the CalWORKs program, including, among others, an award or scholarship provided by a public or private entity to, or on behalf of, a dependent child are exempt from consideration as income for purposes of determining eligibility and aid amount. 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 law requires the eligibility of households to be determined to the extent permitted by federal law. Existing federal regulation provides states with the option to exclude, for purposes of calculating a household's income under SNAP, any type of income that the state excludes when determining eligibility or benefits for TANF cash assistance or certain medical assistance. This bill would exempt any grant, award, scholarship, loan, or fellowship benefit that is provided to any assistance unit member for the purpose of attending an institution of higher education, except as specified, from consideration as income for purposes of determining CalWORKs and CalFresh eligibility or grant amounts, and would also exempt those funds as resources for purposes of determining CalWORKs eligibility or grant amounts. The bill would also require, to the extent permitted by federal law, regulation, or guidance, or a waiver thereof, the State Department of Social Services to exercise a federal option to exclude, for purposes of calculating a household's income under CalFresh, any type of income that the department excludes when determining eligibility or benefits for CalWORKs and certain medical assistance. This bill would require the department to implement these provisions through an all-county letter or similar instruction until regulations are adopted. By expanding the scope of eligibility for CalWORKs and CalFresh, 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 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.
Who sponsors CA AB 42?
Bryan is the primary sponsor of CA AB 42.
Description
Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds to eligible states through the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) block grant program. Existing state 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 to qualified low-income families. Under existing law, certain types of payments received by recipients of aid under the CalWORKs program, including, among others, an award or scholarship provided by a public or private entity to, or on behalf of, a dependent child are exempt from consideration as income for purposes of determining eligibility and aid amount. 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 law requires the eligibility of households to be determined to the extent permitted by federal law. Existing federal regulation provides states with the option to exclude, for purposes of calculating a household's income under SNAP, any type of income that the state excludes when determining eligibility or benefits for TANF cash assistance or certain medical assistance. This bill would exempt any grant, award, scholarship, loan, or fellowship benefit that is provided to any assistance unit member for the purpose of attending an institution of higher education, except as specified, from consideration as income for purposes of determining CalWORKs and CalFresh eligibility or grant amounts, and would also exempt those funds as resources for purposes of determining CalWORKs eligibility or grant amounts. The bill would also require, to the extent permitted by federal law, regulation, or guidance, or a waiver thereof, the State Department of Social Services to exercise a federal option to exclude, for purposes of calculating a household's income under CalFresh, any type of income that the department excludes when determining eligibility or benefits for CalWORKs and certain medical assistance. This bill would require the department to implement these provisions through an all-county letter or similar instruction until regulations are adopted. By expanding the scope of eligibility for CalWORKs and CalFresh, 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 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.
- Introduced
- 2025-02-24
- Latest action
- 2025-10-07 — Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 430, Statutes of 2025.
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Subjects
Sponsors
- Bryanauthor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
2024-12-02
Read first time. To print.
reading-1
2024-12-03
From printer. May be heard in committee January 2.
2025-02-03
Referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.
referral-committee
2025-02-24
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on REV. & TAX. Read second time and amended.
amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-02-25
Re-referred to Com. on REV. & TAX.
referral-committee
2025-02-27
Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S. pursuant to Assembly Rule 96.
referral-committee
2025-03-26
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-04-09
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
referral-committee
2025-05-23
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-05-27
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2025-06-03
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1965.)
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-06-04
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
reading-1,referral-committee
2025-06-18
Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
referral-committee
2025-06-23
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.
amendment-introduction,amendment-passage,committee-passage,reading-1,reading-2,referral-committee
2025-07-01
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable,referral-committee
2025-07-14
In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
referral-committee
2025-08-29
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-08-29
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
reading-1,reading-2,reading-3
2025-09-02
Ordered to special consent calendar.
2025-09-04
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2520.).
passage,reading-1,reading-3
2025-09-04
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-08
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3022.).
amendment-passage,committee-passage,committee-passage-favorable
2025-09-15
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m.
executive-receipt
2025-10-07
Approved by the Governor.
executive-signature
2025-10-07
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 430, Statutes of 2025.
became-law
Versions
Documents
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Votes
Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]
2025-03-25 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Calderon: yes
- Castillo: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Essayli: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Celeste Rodriguez: yes
- Lee: yes
Do pass.
2025-05-23 · pass · 14-0
Member-level votes (15)
- Calderon: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Dixon: yes
- Hart: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Solache: yes
- Ta: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Fong: yes
- Tangipa: yes
- Sanchez: other
AB 42 Bryan Assembly Third Reading
2025-06-03 · pass · 79-0
Member-level votes (79)
- Sanchez: yes
- Tangipa: yes
- Gallagher: yes
- Blanca Rubio: yes
- Castillo: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Haney: yes
- Bains: yes
- Hoover: yes
- Michelle Rodriguez: yes
- Boerner: yes
- Davies: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Soria: yes
- Arambula: yes
- DeMaio: yes
- Berman: yes
- Rivas: yes
- Valencia: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Ávila Farías: yes
- Gabriel: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Nguyen: yes
- Papan: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Lee: yes
- Patterson: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Ward: yes
- Irwin: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Ramos: yes
- Connolly: yes
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Hart: yes
- Macedo: yes
- Carrillo: yes
- Zbur: yes
- Celeste Rodriguez: yes
- Fong: yes
- Flora: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Quirk-Silva: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Schiavo: yes
- Chen: yes
- Ransom: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Ta: yes
- Ellis: yes
- Alanis: yes
- Lackey: yes
- Krell: yes
- Dixon: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Gipson: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Solache: yes
- Jeff Gonzalez: yes
- Bonta: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Muratsuchi: yes
- Addis: yes
- Ortega: yes
- Patel: yes
- Garcia: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Alvarez: yes
- Hadwick: yes
- Petrie-Norris: yes
- Wallis: yes
- Schultz: yes
- Pacheco: yes
Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar
2025-06-30 · pass · 5-0
Member-level votes (5)
- Becker: yes
- Limón: yes
- Ochoa Bogh: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Pérez: yes
Placed on suspense file
2025-07-14 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Cabaldon: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Seyarto: yes
Do pass
2025-08-29 · pass · 7-0
Member-level votes (7)
- Richardson: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
Special Consent
2025-09-04 · pass · 39-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Stern: yes
- Durazo: yes
- Cabaldon: yes
- McGuire: yes
- Laird: yes
- Limón: yes
- Valladares: yes
- Menjivar: yes
- Wahab: yes
- Alvarado-Gil: yes
- Rubio: yes
- Pérez: yes
- Cortese: yes
- Gonzalez: yes
- Choi: yes
- Umberg: yes
- Allen: yes
- Smallwood-Cuevas: yes
- Richardson: yes
- Blakespear: yes
- Arreguín: yes
- Hurtado: yes
- Padilla: yes
- Caballero: yes
- Weber Pierson: yes
- Niello: yes
- Grove: yes
- Jones: yes
- Ashby: yes
- Ochoa Bogh: yes
- Archuleta: yes
- Grayson: yes
- Dahle: yes
- Wiener: yes
- Cervantes: yes
- Seyarto: yes
- Strickland: yes
- McNerney: yes
- Becker: yes
- Reyes: other
AB 42 Bryan Concurrence in Senate Amendments
2025-09-08 · pass · 79-0
Member-level votes (80)
- Addis: yes
- Haney: yes
- Elhawary: yes
- Carrillo: yes
- Ransom: yes
- Berman: yes
- Bauer-Kahan: yes
- Schiavo: yes
- Alvarez: yes
- Caloza: yes
- Hoover: yes
- Ortega: yes
- Solache: yes
- Lowenthal: yes
- Petrie-Norris: yes
- Gabriel: yes
- Zbur: yes
- DeMaio: yes
- Hadwick: yes
- Irwin: yes
- Tangipa: yes
- Patel: yes
- Kalra: yes
- Sanchez: yes
- Johnson: yes
- Mark González: yes
- Gipson: yes
- Hart: yes
- Calderon: yes
- Wilson: yes
- Soria: yes
- Valencia: yes
- Celeste Rodriguez: yes
- Connolly: yes
- Papan: yes
- Bonta: yes
- Jeff Gonzalez: yes
- Alanis: yes
- Patterson: yes
- Jackson: yes
- Davies: yes
- Pellerin: yes
- Muratsuchi: yes
- Krell: yes
- Chen: yes
- Quirk-Silva: yes
- Bains: yes
- Michelle Rodriguez: yes
- Arambula: yes
- Bennett: yes
- Ávila Farías: yes
- Aguiar-Curry: yes
- Lee: yes
- Castillo: yes
- Wallis: yes
- Stefani: yes
- Ta: yes
- Blanca Rubio: yes
- Gallagher: yes
- Ellis: yes
- Macedo: yes
- McKinnor: yes
- Ramos: yes
- Rivas: yes
- Ahrens: yes
- Dixon: yes
- Rogers: yes
- Ward: yes
- Fong: yes
- Wicks: yes
- Schultz: yes
- Pacheco: yes
- Boerner: yes
- Sharp-Collins: yes
- Bryan: yes
- Harabedian: yes
- Lackey: yes
- Flora: yes
- Garcia: yes
- Nguyen: other
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
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