CalWORKs: family violence option and gender-based violence information.

Assembly Member Celeste Rodriguez's CalWORKs reform legislation expands protections for recipients who have experienced domestic violence, sexual harassment, sexual assault, or stalking by modifying program requirement waivers and standardizing support materials.

The bill requires counties to waive CalWORKs program requirements when compliance would make it harder for applicants, recipients, or their children to escape abuse or maintain safety after escaping. Counties must provide written notice of waiver decisions, including specific reasons for any denials, and cannot terminate benefits while waiver requests are pending. Waivers must be reevaluated every six months or when circumstances change.

The Department of Social Services must develop uniform materials by January 2027 to help individuals identify and escape abuse, understand available resources, and navigate the waiver process. These materials will include information about victim services, confidentiality protections, safety planning, and immigration considerations for non-citizen survivors. Counties must provide these materials in recipients' preferred languages along with local service provider information. The department will also create a standardized waiver request form and integrate these resources into the CalSAWS benefits system by January 2028.

The legislation mandates annual legislative reporting on the number of CalWORKs recipients identified as abuse survivors and departmental actions taken to address their needs. Counties will receive state reimbursement for costs associated with implementing these new requirements, which take effect through department guidance by July 2026.