Public social services: eligibility: income exclusions.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's full text or specific sections were not available to confirm certain details, such as the precise automation requirements for the California Statewide Automated Welfare System.

Income Exclusions for Social Services Eligibility

This law excludes monthly financial compensation given to high school students serving on county boards from being counted as income when determining eligibility for public social services and scholarships.

What This Bill Does

• Prohibits the monthly financial compensation received by student board members from being considered as income or resources when determining eligibility and benefit amount for means-tested programs like CalWORKs and Medi-Cal, and for scholarships at public colleges and universities.
• Authorizes the State Department of Social Services to implement specific rules about this exclusion through all-county letters until formal regulations are made.
• Requires the department to start automation in the California Statewide Automated Welfare System by July 1, 2026, to ensure these changes can be implemented.

Who It Names or Affects

• High school students who receive monthly financial compensation for serving on county boards of education or school district governing boards.
• People applying for public social services programs like CalWORKs and Medi-Cal.
• Students seeking scholarships at public colleges and universities.

Terms To Know

means-tested program

A government program that gives benefits based on a person's income level, usually to those who earn below a certain amount.

CalWORKs

California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) is a state welfare program providing cash assistance and services to families with children.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law only applies as far as federal laws allow.
• Local agencies may need extra money from the state to follow this new rule, which could affect their budgets.

Official Summary Text

AB 320, Bennett.
Public social services: eligibility: income exclusions.
Existing law establishes various means-tested public social services programs administered by counties to provide eligible recipients with certain benefits, including, but not limited to, cash assistance under the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program and health care services under the Medi-Cal program. Existing law establishes various awards under the administration of the Student Aid Commission and establishes eligibility requirements for these awards for participating students attending qualifying institutions.
Existing law establishes a system of public
elementary and secondary schools in this state, and provides for their governance. Existing law establishes county boards of education and school districts throughout the state to administer the public elementary and secondary schools within their respective jurisdictions. Existing law requires county boards of education and school district governing boards to appoint at least one high school pupil as a pupil member of the board in response to a petition from high school pupils requesting the appointment of one or more pupil members. Existing law authorizes the county board of education and the governing board of a school district to award a pupil member elective course credit or monthly financial compensation, or both, as provided.
This bill would, to the extent permitted by federal law, prohibit that compensation from being considered as income or
resources when determining eligibility and benefit amount for any means-tested program and any scholarships for public colleges and universities, as specified. To the extent that the bill would expand eligibility for programs administered by counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would authorize the State Department of Social Services to implement, interpret, or make specific the income exclusion for programs under its jurisdiction by means of all-county letters or similar written instructions from the department until regulations are adopted. The bill would specify that its provisions apply to programs under the department’s jurisdiction beginning on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the California Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement the
income exclusion for those programs. The bill would require the department to issue guidance as necessary to begin automation no later than July 1, 2026.
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.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF