California AB1981: Subsidized childcare: reimbursement rates: reporting.

What the bill says

An act to amend Sections 10213.5 and 10227.6 of, and to add Section 10227.7 to, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to childcare, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. childcare, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately Subsidized childcare: reimbursement rates: reporting…

From the chaptered text, September 27, 2026:

An act to amend Sections 10213.5 and 10227.6 of, and to add Section 10227.7 to, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to childcare, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. childcare, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately Subsidized childcare: reimbursement rates: reporting. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, in collaboration with the State Department of Education, to implement a reimbursement system plan that establishes reasonable standards and assigned reimbursement rates for subsidized childcare and development services, and to develop and conduct an alternative methodology for ratesetting, as specified. Existing law requires the Governor and the Legislature to, by no later than July 1, 2025, establish reimbursement rates based on the alternative methodology, as specified. Existing law requires the department to provide quarterly updates from October 1, 2024, to July 1, 2027, inclusive, on the implementation of the new reimbursement rates set under the alternative methodology. If the new reimbursement rates do not take effect on July 1, 2025, existing law also requires the department to provide the Legislature with a timeline for transitioning from the rates that are in effect on July 1, 2025, to the new established rates. This bill would instead, under those circumstances, require the department to provide the Chairperson of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee with the department’s …

Read the full official text

Sponsors

• Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D, AD04) · primary sponsor
• Mia Bonta (D, AD18)
• Isaac Bryan (D, AD55)
• Matt Haney (D, AD17)
• Alex Lee (D, AD24)
• Stephanie Nguyen (D, AD10)
• Sharon Quirk-Silva (D, AD67)
• Esmeralda Soria (D, AD27)

Latest actions

1. September 27, 2026: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 567, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 27, 2026: Approved by the Governor.
3. September 14, 2026: Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 1:30 p.m.
4. August 31, 2026: Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 6965.).
5. August 31, 2026: Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0.).
6. August 31, 2026: Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling.
7. August 30, 2026: In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
8. August 30, 2026: Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.).
9. August 28, 2026: Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
10. August 27, 2026: Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

Votes

• AB 1981 Aguiar-Curry Concurrence in Senate Amendments (August 31, 2026): 79 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Assembly 3rd Reading AB1981 Aguiar-Curry et al. By Reyes Urgency Clause (August 30, 2026): 40 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Do pass (August 13, 2026): 7 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Placed on suspense file (June 29, 2026): 7 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] (June 15, 2026): 4 yea, 0 nay, passed
• AB 1981 Aguiar-Curry Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session (April 23, 2026): 74 yea, 0 nay, passed

Common questions

What is AB1981?

AB1981 is a bill in the California Legislature (2025-2026 Regular Session): Subsidized childcare: reimbursement rates: reporting.

What does AB1981 do?

In its own words: An act to amend Sections 10213.5 and 10227.6 of, and to add Section 10227.7 to, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to childcare, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. childcare, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately Subsidized childcare: reimbursement rates: reporting…

What is the status of AB1981?

Chaptered as of September 27, 2026. Latest action: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 567, Statutes of 2026. (September 27, 2026).

Who sponsored AB1981?

Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D, AD04), with 7 co-sponsors.

Where is the official record for AB1981?

On the California Legislature website: https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1981