California legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
California AB1655: CalWORKs: temporary absence: immigration detention.
Status: Chaptered, September 29, 2026
What the bill says
An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 11269 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to CalWORKs. CalWORKs CalWORKs: temporary absence: immigration detention. Existing law establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which, through a combination of federal, state, and county funds, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Existing law sets forth provisions for the calculation of the amount of CalWORKs aid eligible to a household based in part on the size of the assistance unit…
From the chaptered text, September 29, 2026:
An act to amend, repeal, and add Section 11269 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to CalWORKs. CalWORKs CalWORKs: temporary absence: immigration detention. Existing law establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which, through a combination of federal, state, and county funds, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Existing law sets forth provisions for the calculation of the amount of CalWORKs aid eligible to a household based in part on the size of the assistance unit. Under existing law and CalWORKs rules, aid is not affected for a member of the assistance unit who is temporarily absent from the home, and a child who is a patient in a public or private hospital for medical or surgical care is considered temporarily absent from the home for the duration of the hospital stay. Under this bill, beginning July 1, 2027, or when the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automations, whichever is later, a child or other member of the assistance unit who is detained in a federal immigration detention facility would be considered temporarily absent from the home for the duration of the detention. Under the bill, the assistance unit would remain eligible to continue receive assistance and services if …