Social Services

Modifies legal representation rules for nonminor dependents in California dependency court proceedings. Removes the requirement for attorneys to prioritize safety over client wishes when representing nonminor dependents. Gives attorneys more flexibility in how they represent nonminor dependents in court proceedings.

Lowers the burden of proof in elder abuse cases when care facilities intentionally destroy evidence. Applies only to residential care facilities and skilled nursing homes, with specific exceptions. Requires courts to document in writing when lowering the evidence standard due to spoliation. Becomes inoperative if the state must reimburse facilities and funding is not appropriated.

Expands childcare reimbursement criteria to include absences for medical and educational appointments. Extends fee exemptions from 12 to 24 months for families receiving child protective services. Allows providers to claim reimbursement when holding spaces during care abandonment appeals. Prohibits charging family fees to families receiving CalWORKs cash aid.

Exempts close relatives from care plan requirements when serving as conservators for developmentally disabled adults. Maintains the presumption that a conservatee's personal residence is the least restrictive appropriate living option. Requires conservators to reevaluate placement if there are significant changes in the conservatee's needs.

Increases the maximum county burial assistance for indigent veterans from $350 to $1,000. Authorizes counties to provide financial support for burial or cremation expenses of qualifying veterans. Uses existing county funds to cover the increased burial and cremation benefit amounts.

Expands funding sources for recidivism reduction grants to include new behavioral health programs. Requires grant proposals to serve offenders with mental health or substance use disorders. Mandates housing assistance and treatment services in all funded programs. Prioritizes proposals that combine public agency leadership with nonprofit partnerships.

Expands access to juvenile case files for parents' treatment teams and probate court officials. Requires child welfare agencies to provide records within two weeks of written requests. Mandates that accessed records must be filed under seal in family law and probate cases. Creates stricter rules for sharing juvenile records with penalties for unauthorized disclosure.

Expands CalWORKs Stage 3 childcare eligibility by raising the income limit from 70% to 85% of state median income. Transitions childcare subsidy administration from welfare departments to institutions serving working families. Establishes a priority system for disenrolling families when program funding is limited.

Expands senior meal programs to allow either hot meals or to-go options for reheating at home. Requires nutrition projects to provide at least one meal per day for five or more days each week. Maintains existing services at senior centers, churches, and other community locations.

Expands CalFresh food benefits eligibility to more college students through automatic program qualification. Requires financial aid systems to identify and notify eligible students about CalFresh benefits by January 2027. Mandates direct outreach to eligible students for CalFresh enrollment starting in the 2027-28 academic year. Streamlines the approval process by automatically qualifying campus-based programs for CalFresh eligibility.

Establishes new housing requirements for foster youth transitional housing programs to promote flexibility and independence. Requires counties to follow state standards for transitional housing without adding stricter local requirements. Allows foster youth to share housing units regardless of gender identity to increase housing options. Mandates specific staff-to-participant ratios to ensure proper supervision and support.

Expands child abuse reporting requirements to include sending reports to attorneys of parents and legal guardians. Requires agencies to redact personal identifying information of all individuals except the child in abuse reports. Mandates sharing abuse reports with all attorneys representing children in the same placement facility. Excludes parents whose rights were terminated from receiving abuse reports about their children.

Eliminates CARF accreditation requirements for work activity and supported employment programs. Requires regional centers to evaluate programs using new state-developed service standards. Authorizes regional centers to impose sanctions on providers who violate safety or service standards. Maintains existing enforcement tools including corrective plans and program termination.

Reduces the adoption request filing deadline from 10 to 7 working days after signing an adoption agreement. Requires immediate notification to child welfare if an adoption plan is terminated. Mandates detailed documentation before releasing newborns to prospective adoptive parents. Prohibits releasing children back to birth parents without a safety investigation.

Limits denial of family reunification services to parents with violent felony convictions within the past 5 years. Requires courts to prove specific risks to child safety before denying reunification services due to violent felonies. Mandates reunification services unless courts find it against the child's best interests. Expands county welfare departments' duties to provide reunification services without state reimbursement.

Establishes new statewide quality measures to track outcomes for developmental disability services in California. Requires comprehensive review of existing performance measures across all regional centers by specified deadline. Mandates integration of quality metrics into a new statewide data system to improve service delivery. Creates standardized benchmarks to incentivize high-quality care from service providers.

Requires updating client files within 30 days when individuals with developmental disabilities change residences. Maintains existing data management requirements to ensure safety and well-being of developmentally disabled persons.

Requires juvenile courts to prioritize moving youth from secure facilities to less restrictive programs when appropriate. Mandates detailed rehabilitation plans that outline specific steps for transitioning youth back to the community. Requires courts to hold hearings every 6 months to assess progress toward moving to less restrictive settings. Orders transfer to less restrictive programs if youth show substantial progress in meeting rehabilitation goals.

Makes technical changes to foster care sibling placement requirements.

Requires courts to evaluate human trafficking history before making child custody decisions. Mandates protective measures in custody orders when a child or parent is a trafficking victim. Creates a legal presumption against awarding custody to parents convicted of human trafficking.

Expands CalWORKs eligibility by exempting in-kind gifts and certain noncustodial parent income from benefit calculations. Removes the 100-hour work limit requirement for unemployed parents seeking CalWORKs benefits. Requires counties to prioritize subsidized job placements with employers having strong labor agreements and safety records. Mandates a feasibility study on expanding CalWORKs with recommendations due to the Legislature.

Establishes new disaster preparedness requirements for childcare resource and referral agencies statewide. Requires childcare providers to report data on their operational status and capacity during disasters. Mandates agencies to train childcare providers on emergency procedures and maintain disaster supplies. Creates partnerships between childcare agencies and local emergency response teams.

Imposes a 0.5% tax on incomes over $10 million to fund affordable childcare programs. Establishes a grant program for licensed childcare facilities to reduce rates and expand capacity. Exempts employers who provide onsite childcare or fully reimburse employees for childcare costs. Expires in December 2031 after five years of implementation.

Requires regional centers to document all service denials and appeals in individual disability program plans. Mandates regional centers to report detailed data on service denials and disparities by race and language. Establishes a statewide data dashboard to track disability service access and equity by December 2024. Requires regional centers to communicate with consumers in their preferred language during planning.

Extends the deadline for Veterans Affairs to report on veteran service provider certification rules to April 2026. Maintains existing certification requirements for nonprofit organizations serving veterans and their families. Requires veteran service providers to submit detailed documentation including audit reports and tax records.