Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, subject to an appropriation, to administer the California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program until January 1, 2028, to provide grants to eligible entities for the purpose of administering pilot programs and projects that provide a guaranteed income to participants. Existing law requires the department to prioritize, for these purposes, California residents who age out of the extended foster care program at or after 21 years of age or who are pregnant individuals.

Under existing law, guaranteed income payments received by an individual from a pilot program or project, as described above, are not considered income or resources for purposes of determining the individual’s, or any member of their household’s, eligibility for benefits or assistance, or the amount or extent of benefits or assistance, under any state or local benefit or assistance program, as specified.

Existing law establishes various public social services programs within the jurisdiction of the State Department of Social Services, including, among others, the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program and the CalFresh program. Existing law establishes the Medi-Cal program, which is administered by the State Department of Health Care Services and under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services.

Under this bill, to the extent not in conflict with federal law, guaranteed income payments received by an individual would not be considered income or resources for purposes of determining eligibility for benefits, or the amount of benefits, under any means-tested program, and vice versa. The bill would require the State Department of Social Services and the State Department of Health Care Services, for programs under their jurisdiction, to seek any federal waivers necessary to implement these provisions. The bill would define “guaranteed income payments” to include, but not be limited to, payments provided through pilot programs or projects receiving funding from the California Guaranteed Income Pilot Program or payments provided through locally funded programs, as specified.

Under the bill, means-tested programs would include, but would not be limited to, the CalWORKs program, the CalFresh program, the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP), the Medi-Cal program, the General Assistance Program, and the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI).

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.

This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.