CalWORKs.

Assembly Member Sharp-Collins proposes substantial changes to California's CalWORKs program, modifying income calculations, eligibility criteria, and subsidized employment requirements. The legislation exempts in-kind gifts and noncustodial parent income from CalWORKs eligibility determinations while eliminating work-hour thresholds previously used to define parental unemployment.

The bill maintains CalWORKs aid payments during labor actions, requiring counties to include both caretaker and non-caretaker strike participants when calculating assistance amounts. For self-employed participants, work hours are now based solely on time spent on business activities rather than income generated. Counties must prioritize subsidized employment placements with employers holding labor agreements and avoid positions that would replace public employees or involve companies with poor safety records.

The Department of Social Services must conduct a CalWORKs expansion feasibility study by January 2027, consulting with county welfare directors to evaluate costs and necessary statutory changes. Counties receiving additional subsidized employment funding must submit detailed implementation plans and report employer data, including wage subsidy amounts, in the CalWORKs Annual Summary. While the bill creates new administrative requirements for counties, it prohibits direct state appropriations for implementation, though local agencies may seek reimbursement for state-mandated costs.