CalWORKs.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details on when the State Department of Social Services will make a determination.

CalWORKs Program Changes

The bill changes requirements related to immunizations and documentation in the CalWORKs program, which provides cash assistance and other benefits to low-income families.

What This Bill Does

• Removes the requirement for children not required to attend school to get certain vaccines before receiving CalWORKs benefits.
• Allows parents or caretakers of children not required to attend school to have their needs considered when determining CalWORKs grants without providing vaccine documentation.
• Requires notices given to applicants and recipients of CalWORKs to inform them about existing rules on getting immunizations if they plan to enroll in schools or childcare centers.

Who It Names or Affects

• Low-income families receiving CalWORKs benefits
• Parents and caretakers of children not required to attend school

Terms To Know

CalWORKs

A program that gives cash assistance and other help to low-income families in California.

Immunizations

Vaccines given to prevent diseases like measles, mumps, and pertussis.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify when the State Department of Social Services will make a determination.
• It is unclear how this change might affect public health or enrollment in schools and childcare centers.

Official Summary Text

SB 290, as amended, Smallwood-Cuevas.
CalWORKs.
Existing law generally prohibits the governing authority of a school or other institution from unconditionally admitting any person as a pupil of any public or private elementary or secondary school, childcare center, day nursery, nursery school, family daycare home, or development center, unless prior to the person’s admission to that institution they have been fully immunized against various diseases, including measles, mumps, and pertussis, subject to any specific age criteria.
Existing law establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families using federal, state, and county funds. Existing law also requires all applicants for or recipients of CalWORKs to ensure and provide documentation that each child
in the assistance unit who is not required to be enrolled in school has received all age-appropriate immunizations, as specified, and prohibits the needs of all parents or caretaker relatives in the assistance unit from being considered in determining the grant to the assistance unit until the required documentation is provided. Existing law requires a notice of that immunization requirement to be given to an applicant or recipient at the time of application and at the next redetermination of eligibility for aid.
This bill would, commencing July 1, 2026, or the date when the State Department of Social Services has made a specified determination, whichever is later, repeal the requirement under CalWORKs for children who are not required to be enrolled in school to be immunized and repeal the prohibition on considering the needs of parents or caretaker relatives in determining the grant to the assistance unit until the required documentation is provided. The bill
would instead require that notice to advise applicants and recipients of the existing obligation for children admitted to a public or private elementary or secondary school, childcare center, day nursery, nursery school, family daycare home, or development center, to secure the immunizations required for that admission.
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 the purposes of implementing the bill.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF