New California Laws 2026
2025 Assembly Welfare and Juvenile Laws AB 42, Bryan. CalWORKs: CalFresh: eligibility: income and resource exclusions. Exempts higher education financial aid benefits, excluding cash payments made by friends or relatives, from income consideration when determining benefit eligibility. Requires the California Department of Social Ser- vices (CDSS), to the extent permitted by federal law, to also exclude Medicaid assistance when align- ing CalFresh income calculations with California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (Cal- WORKs)-funded cash assistance rules. An act to add Sections 11157.2 and 18901.09 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to public so- cial services. AB 79, Arambula. Public social services: higher education. This bill requires a county human ser- vices agency to seek input from basic needs direc- tors, basic needs coordinators, or designated staff from each campus of a public institution of higher education about the protocol for engagement be- tween the agency and the campus about CalFresh, CalWORKs, and other county administered benefits. The bill also requires the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to create a training for basic needs coordinators, create a workgroup to share ba- sic need center best practices, and regularly submit a report to the Legislature on the impact of basic needs centers on student achievement. An act to amend Section 10006 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to public social services. AB 118, Committee on Budget. Human services. Provides for statutory changes necessary to enact human services related provisions of the Budget Act of 2025. An act to amend Sections 1991, 1995, 10072.3, 11265.15, 12306.16, and 16121 of, to add Sections 16506.5 and 18917.1 to, and to add, repeal, and add Section 16121.5 of, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to human services, and making an ap- propriation therefor, to take effect immediately, bill related to the budget. AB 143, Committee on Budget. Developmental services. This bill provides for statutory changes necessary to enact human services related provi- sions of the Budget Act of 2025. An act to amend Sections 4511.1, 4519.10, 4581, 4620.3, 4620.4, 4648, 4685.8, 4688.21, 4851, 4857.1, 4860, 4861, and 4870 of, to add Section 4580.5 to, and to repeal Section 4784 of, the Welfare and Institu- tions Code, relating to developmental services, and making an appropriation therefor, to take effect im- mediately, bill related to the budget. AB 251, Kalra. Elders and dependent adults: abuse or neglect. Authorizes a court to reduce the standard of proof required to prove abuse, abandonment, or neglect of an elder or dependent adult in a civil action from clear and convincing evidence, to preponder- ance of the evidence, under specified circumstances in cases where the defendant has engaged in spolia- tion of the evidence substantiating the abuse. Continued on page 100
AB 1004, Wallis. Tribal financial information: pub- lic records: exemption. Exempts records containing financial information provided by an Indian tribe to a public agency, as a condition of or requirement for receiving financial assistance, from inspection and disclosure under the California Public Records Act. An act to amend Section 7930.205 of, and to add Chapter 5.7 (commencing with Section 8450) to Di- vision 1 of Title 2 of, the Government Code, relating to public records. AB 1369, Ramos. Pupil rights: school graduation ceremonies and related events: adornments. Clari- fies the existing authorization for students to wear specified adornments at school graduation cere- monies by explicitly authorizing students and their families to determine what adornments are deemed to be traditional tribal regalia or recognized objects of religious or cultural significance. Prohibits local educational agencies (LEAs) from (1) requiring stu- dents to undergo a preapproval process in order to exercise the right described above and (2) requiring students to wear a graduation cap if it is incompatible with the specified adornment An act to amend Section 35183.1 of the Education Code, relating to pupil rights. AB 1527, Soria. Tribal gaming: compact ratifica- tion. Would ratify the Fourth Amendment to the Trib- al-State Gaming Compact entered into between the State of California (State) and the Picayune Ranche- ria of Chukchansi Indians of California (Tribe), exe- cuted on June 4, 2025, which would further extend its expiration date to December 31, 2026. An act to add Section 12012.119 to the Government Code, relating to tribal gaming, and declaring the ur- gency thereof, to take effect immediately. 2025 Senate Tribal Laws SB 49, Grove. Tribal gaming: compact and amend- ment ratification. This bill ratifies the tribal-state gaming compact between the State of California and the Big Sandy Rancheria of Western Mono Indians of California (Tribe), executed on December 12, 2024. This bill ratifies the third and fourth amendment to the 1999 tribal-state gaming compact between the State of California and the Tribe. An act to add Sections 12012.117 and 12012.118 to the Government Code, relating to tribal gaming, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect imme- diately. SB 864, Padilla. Tribal gaming: compact ratifica- tion. This bill ratifies the Tribal-State Gaming Com- pact between the State of California and the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Ranche- ria, California, executed on July 11, 2025. This bill also ratifies two separate amendments to the trib- al-state gaming compacts entered into between the State of California and the Pinoleville Pomo Nation, California, and the Sycuan Band of Kumeyaay Na- tion. An act to add Section 12012.120 to the Government Code, relating to tribal gaming, and declaring the ur- gency thereof, to take effect immediately.
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