California 20252026 Regular Session Status: In Committee 1 D cosponsors

AB 997 — Child health and safety: "Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help Our Kids" license plate program.

Last action — From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Assembly
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the Assembly. Introduced February 20, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Assembly.

Prognosis

Advancing 36% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Summary

Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue "Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help our Kids" special license plates and imposes additional fees, as specified, for their issuance, renewal, replacement, and transfer. Existing law requires that those additional fees be deposited in the Child Health and Safety Fund, less specified amounts. Existing law requires that 50% of the funds derived from "Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help Our Kids" license plates be available, upon appropriation, to the State Department of Social Services for administering various provisions related to childcare licensing, as specified. Existing law requires that, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the balance be available, as described, for programs that address other categories of potential childhood injury, as specified. Existing law requires counties to create local childcare resource and referral programs to identify childcare resources and establish a referral process for parents, among other things. Existing law also creates the California Children and Families Commission, to promote, support, and improve early childhood development. Existing law provides for funding to county commissions that develop, adopt, promote, and implement local early childhood development programs consistent with specified goals and objectives. This bill would, commencing July 1, 2027, increase the fees for the initial issuance and renewal of the "Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help Our Kids" license plates. The bill would, commencing July 1, 2027, allocate, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, 50% of the fees collected before July 1, 2027, to state and local childcare provider licensure, oversight, recruitment, training, and development, and the remainder to childcare safety and health, as specified. Of the fees collected on or after July 1, 2027, the bill would allocate 50% for programs that address specified child health and safety concerns and the remainder of the funding would be allocated for specified child abuse prevention purposes.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

In the latest version of Bill AB 997, a line of text has been removed, simplifying the bill's language. This change is important because it helps make the bill easier to understand for everyone, ensuring that more people can grasp its intent and implications. By reducing complexity, the bill becomes more accessible, which can lead to better public engagement and understanding.

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Action History

  1. From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.

  3. In committee: Held under submission.

  4. Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 1627.)

  5. In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  6. In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

  7. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 16. Noes 0.) (April 28). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  8. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on TRANS. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on TRANS.

  9. Referred to Coms. on HUM. S. and TRANS.

  10. From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

  11. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar

Passed 16 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 4000
Democratic 12000
Total 16000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (16)
Member Party Vote
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Ahrens, Patrick Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Harabedian, John Democratic Yea
Hart, Gregg Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Lowenthal, Josh Democratic Yea
Papan, Diane Democratic Yea
Ransom, Rhodesia Democratic Yea
Rogers, Chris Democratic Yea
Ward, Christopher M. Democratic Yea
Wilson, Lori D. Democratic Yea
Davies, Laurie Republican Yea
Hoover, Josh Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea
Macedo, Alexandra Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety healthcare education
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does AB 997 do?
Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue "Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help our Kids" special license plates and imposes additional fees, as specified, for their issuance, renewal, replacement, and transfer. Existing law requires that those additional fees be deposited in the Child Health and Safety Fund, less specified amounts. Existing law requires that 50% of the funds derived from "Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help Our Kids" license plates be available, upon appropriation, to the State Department of Social Services for administering various provisions related to childcare licensing, as specified. Existing law requires that, upon appropriation by the Legislature, the balance be available, as described, for programs that address other categories of potential childhood injury, as specified. Existing law requires counties to create local childcare resource and referral programs to identify childcare resources and establish a referral process for parents, among other things. Existing law also creates the California Children and Families Commission, to promote, support, and improve early childhood development. Existing law provides for funding to county commissions that develop, adopt, promote, and implement local early childhood development programs consistent with specified goals and objectives. This bill would, commencing July 1, 2027, increase the fees for the initial issuance and renewal of the "Have a Heart, Be a Star, Help Our Kids" license plates. The bill would, commencing July 1, 2027, allocate, upon an appropriation by the Legislature, 50% of the fees collected before July 1, 2027, to state and local childcare provider licensure, oversight, recruitment, training, and development, and the remainder to childcare safety and health, as specified. Of the fees collected on or after July 1, 2027, the bill would allocate 50% for programs that address specified child health and safety concerns and the remainder of the funding would be allocated for specified child abuse prevention purposes.
Who sponsors AB 997?
AB 997 is sponsored by Stefani, Catherine (Democratic).
What is the current status of AB 997?
This bill is in committee in the Assembly. Introduced February 20, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track AB 997?
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Last checked for changes 3 months ago · updated continuously

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