SB-1051 • 2026

Foster care: childcare.

Children Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Menjivar
Last action: 2026-04-23
Official status: In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details about the extent of assistance for long-term subsidized care or specify if all counties are required to participate.

Foster care: childcare support

This law allows childcare navigators to refer foster children to their local welfare department for help with emergency childcare and requires those departments to check if the child is eligible for this program.

What This Bill Does

It lets childcare workers help by sending foster kids to their county's welfare office.
The welfare office must then decide if a foster kid can join an Emergency Child Care Bridge Program.

Who It Names or Affects

Foster children and their families
County welfare departments

Terms To Know

Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children: A program that provides temporary help with childcare costs for foster kids.
Childcare navigator: A person who helps families find and use childcare services.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much funding will be provided for the program.
It is unclear if all counties will participate in this program since it was previously optional.

Bill History

2026-04-23 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
2026-04-23 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 37. Noes 0.) Ordered to the Assembly.
2026-04-21 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
2026-04-20 California Legislative Information
From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to consent calendar.
2026-04-10 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 20.
2026-04-07 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (April 6). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-03-17 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 6.
2026-02-26 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
2026-02-13 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 15.
2026-02-12 California Legislative Information
(Corrected April 23).
2026-02-12 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 1051, as introduced, Menjivar.
Foster care: childcare.
Existing law establishes the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children, to be implemented at the discretion of each county, for the purpose of stabilizing foster children with families at the time of placement by providing a time-limited payment or voucher for childcare following the child’s placement, or for a child whose parent is in foster care, and by providing the family with a childcare navigator to assist the family in accessing long-term subsidized childcare.
Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, administered by the State Department of Social Services, establishes a system of childcare and development services for children up to 13 years of age. Existing law establishes childcare resource and referral programs to serve a defined geographic area and provide prescribed services, including, making referrals
to licensed child daycare facilities and the provision of childcare navigators to support children in foster care, children previously in foster care upon return to their home of origin, and children of parents involved in the child welfare system, including any child who meets the eligibility criteria for the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children.
This bill would authorize childcare navigators to refer foster children to the county welfare department for eligibility and approval under the Emergency Child Care Bridge Program for Foster Children, and would require participating county welfare departments to determine eligibility of that referred child for the program.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF