AB 779: Child welfare services: domestic violence consultant pilot program.

Official summary

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

Existing law requires the state, through the State Department of Social Services and county welfare departments, to establish and support a public system of statewide child welfare services, which is defined to mean public social services that are directed toward the accomplishment of specified purposes, including protecting and promoting the welfare of all children and preventing the unnecessary separation of children from their families.

This bill would authorize a county child welfare agency to establish a 3-year pilot program in which the county partners with a domestic violence consultant from a domestic violence victim service organization to offer support and guidance to county social workers in addressing the complex dynamics of families who are potentially experiencing both domestic violence and child maltreatment in order to enhance the social worker’s knowledge of domestic violence and their ability to apply that knowledge to their work with parent survivors and their children through tailored engagement and intervention strategies. The bill would require a domestic violence consultant under the program to assist county social workers by providing education on domestic violence-related dynamics and services and discussing complicating factors and protective measures, as specified, among other things. The bill would require a county that implements the pilot program to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the pilot program and report its findings to the Legislature on or before October 31, 2031. The bill would require a participating county to seek the input of the State Department of Social Services and stakeholders, including people with lived experience with domestic violence and child welfare, in the design and implementation of the evaluation.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1 · 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. October 6, 2025Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 381, Statutes of 2025.
2. October 6, 2025Approved by the Governor.
3. September 24, 2025Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
4. September 12, 2025Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3395.).
5. September 4, 2025In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
6. September 4, 2025Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2501.).
7. July 15, 2025Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. July 14, 2025From committee: Be ordered to second reading pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8.
9. July 1, 2025From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
10. June 11, 2025From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
11. June 4, 2025Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
12. May 23, 2025In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.