AB 1755: CalWORKS.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing federal law, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, replaced the federal Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program with the federal Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) block grant program. Existing federal law provides for allocation of federal funds through the federal TANF block grant program to eligible states. Existing law establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which, through a combination of state and county funds and federal funds received through the TANF program, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families.

Existing law requires aid to be granted to a family with a related child under 18 years of age who has been deprived of parental support or care due to the unemployment, continued absence, death, incapacity, or incarceration of a parent. Existing law considers a child to be deprived of parental support or care due to unemployment of the child’s parent or parents when the child’s parent or parents have worked less than 100 hours in the preceding 4 weeks and meets specified requirements related to the federal AFDC program.

This bill would, for purposes of determining a child’s deprivation of parental support or care, delete the requirements that the parent or parents work less than 100 hours in the preceding 4 weeks and meet the federal AFDC program requirements. The bill would instead disregard the number of hours that the child’s parent or parents work, provided the family does not exceed the applicable gross or net income limits. The bill would make these provisions operative on July 1, 2027, or when the State Department of Social Services notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement the provisions, whichever is later. To the extent that the bill would expand eligibility for the CalWORKs program, thereby imposing a higher level of service on counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program.

This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing these provisions.

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.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 10 · Republican 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. September 20, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 375, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 20, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. September 4, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
4. August 27, 2026Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0. Page 6738.).
5. August 27, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
6. August 27, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.).
7. August 17, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. August 13, 2026Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
9. August 13, 2026From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).
10. June 29, 2026In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
11. June 16, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
12. June 3, 2026From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.