California 2019-2020 Regular Session Status: To Executive 1 D cosponsors

AB 944 — CalWORKs: sponsored noncitizen: indigence exception.

Last action — Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.

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

This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “To Executive” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Existing law provides for various public social services programs, including, among others, the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals, CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county, and the Medi-Cal program, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. Existing federal and state law provide that in determining the eligibility and amount of aid for an alien, the income and resources of an alien shall be deemed to include the income and resources of any person who has executed an affidavit of support on behalf of the alien and the spouse of that person, as specified, and requires the sponsored applicant or recipient to provide information regarding the income and resources of those persons. Existing federal law and state regulations provide that if a sponsored alien is determined to be indigent, as specified, the sponsored alien shall be exempt from the sponsor deeming requirements for a period beginning on the date of that indigency determination and ending 12 months after that date. This bill would, to the extent permitted by federal law, waivers, and directives, require a county to renew the 12-month exception period for additional 12-month periods for a sponsored applicant for, or recipient of, CalWORKs benefits who is deemed to meet the indigence requirement, as specified. The bill would require the department to commence implementing this provision when the department notifies the Legislature that the California Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement the 12-month renewals. The bill would authorize the department to implement and administer this provision through all-county letters or similar instructions until regulations are adopted, and require the department to adopt regulations no later than 24 months after the release of the all-county letters or similar instructions. By increasing county duties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file.

  2. Vetoed by Governor.

  3. Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3:30 p.m.

  4. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 68. Noes 0. Page 3246.).

  5. In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after September 8 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.

  6. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0. Page 2605.).

  7. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  8. Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

  9. From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 30).

  10. In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

  11. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  12. Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.

  13. In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

  14. Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 66. Noes 0. Page 1821.)

  15. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  16. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 1.) (May 16).

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

  18. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (March 26). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  19. Coauthors revised.

  20. Referred to Com. on HUM. S.

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

  22. Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

  • Quirk · Primary
  • Skinner · Cosponsor
  • Chiu · Cosponsor
  • Mike A. Gipson · Cosponsor
  • Wieckowski · Cosponsor

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 4 co-sponsors · 117 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Quirk

Co-sponsors (4)

Not signed on (117)

117 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 117 →

"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

AB 944 Quirk Concurrence in Senate Amendments

Passed 68 Yea · 0 Nay · 11 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 44008
Democratic 20002
Republican 4001
Total 680011
% of votes cast 86%0%0%14%
How each member voted (79)
Member Party Vote
Salas — Yea
Mayes — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Frazier — Yea
Bigelow — Yea
Cooley — Yea
Smith — Yea
Cunningham — Yea
Gonzalez — Yea
Chau — Yea
Gloria — Yea
Bloom — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Chiu — Yea
Gray — Yea
Holden — Yea
Daly — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Mullin — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Ting — Yea
Kamlager-Dove — Yea
Levine — Yea
Low — Yea
Nazarian — Yea
Burke — Yea
Cooper — Yea
Wood — Yea
Medina — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Chu — Yea
McCarty — Yea
O'Donnell — Yea
Weber — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Fong — Not Voting
Voepel — Not Voting
Brough — Not Voting
Kiley — Not Voting
Obernolte — Not Voting
Melendez — Not Voting
Diep — Not Voting
Cristina Garcia — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Jim Patterson — Not Voting
Luz Rivas — Yea
Mark Stone — Yea
Wendy Carrillo — Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Not Voting
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Not Voting
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Not Voting
Choi, Steven S. Republican Yea
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Yea
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea

Official roll call →

3rd Reading AB944 Quirk et al. By Wieckowski

Passed 39 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 27000
Democratic 10000
Republican 2001
Total 39001
% of votes cast 98%0%0%3%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Rubio — Yea
Monning — Yea
Wieckowski — Yea
Mitchell — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Beall — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Hill — Yea
Roth — Yea
Morrell — Yea
Hueso — Yea
Leyva — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Moorlach — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Allen — Yea
Borgeas — Yea
Galgiani — Yea
Hertzberg — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Bates — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Nielsen — Yea
Chang — Yea
Pan — Yea
Mark Stone — Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended

Passed 7 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 1000
Unaffiliated 5000
Democratic 1000
Total 7000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Wieckowski — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Bates — Yea
Hill — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

AB 944 Quirk Assembly Third Reading

Passed 66 Yea · 0 Nay · 14 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 40008
Democratic 22003
Republican 4003
Total 660014
% of votes cast 83%0%0%18%
How each member voted (80)
Member Party Vote
Salas — Yea
Brough — Yea
Mayes — Yea
Mathis — Yea
Frazier — Yea
Cunningham — Yea
Gonzalez — Yea
Chau — Yea
Gloria — Yea
Bloom — Yea
Rodriguez — Yea
Santiago — Yea
Voepel — Yea
Chiu — Yea
Gray — Yea
Holden — Yea
Daly — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Jones-Sawyer — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Mullin — Yea
Friedman — Yea
Ting — Yea
Kamlager-Dove — Yea
Levine — Yea
Low — Yea
Nazarian — Yea
Burke — Yea
Cooper — Yea
Wood — Yea
Medina — Yea
Rendon — Yea
Chu — Yea
McCarty — Yea
O'Donnell — Yea
Weber — Yea
Waldron — Yea
Kiley — Not Voting
Obernolte — Not Voting
Bigelow — Not Voting
Melendez — Not Voting
Cooley — Not Voting
Smith — Not Voting
Diep — Not Voting
Cristina Garcia — Yea
Eduardo Garcia — Not Voting
Mark Stone — Yea
Aguiar-Curry, Cecilia M. Democratic Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bauer-Kahan, Rebecca Democratic Yea
Berman, Marc Democratic Yea
Boerner, Tasha Democratic Not Voting
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Cervantes, Sabrina Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Not Voting
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Gipson, Mike A. Democratic Yea
Grayson, Timothy S. Democratic Yea
Irwin, Jacqui Democratic Yea
Kalra, Ash Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
Muratsuchi, Al Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Not Voting
Quirk-Silva, Sharon Democratic Yea
Ramos, James C. Democratic Yea
Reyes, Eloise Gómez Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea
Rubio, Blanca E. Democratic Yea
Wicks, Buffy Democratic Yea
Chen, Phillip Republican Yea
Choi, Steven S. Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Not Voting
Flora, Heath Republican Yea
Gallagher, James Republican Not Voting
Lackey, Tom Republican Yea
Patterson, Joe Republican Not Voting

Official roll call →

Do pass.

Passed 14 Yea · 1 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 6001
Unaffiliated 8102
Total 14103
% of votes cast 78%6%0%17%
How each member voted (18)
Member Party Vote
Bloom — Yea
Brough — Yea
Maienschein — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Gonzalez — Yea
Quirk — Yea
Chau — Yea
Bigelow — Nay
Diep — Not Voting
Obernolte — Not Voting
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Yea
Carrillo, Juan Democratic Yea
Fong, Mike Democratic Not Voting
Gabriel, Jesse Democratic Yea
Petrie-Norris, Cottie Democratic Yea
Rivas, Robert Democratic Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety immigration housing labor
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Frequently asked questions

What does AB 944 do?
Existing law provides for various public social services programs, including, among others, the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals, CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county, and the Medi-Cal program, under which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services. Existing federal and state law provide that in determining the eligibility and amount of aid for an alien, the income and resources of an alien shall be deemed to include the income and resources of any person who has executed an affidavit of support on behalf of the alien and the spouse of that person, as specified, and requires the sponsored applicant or recipient to provide information regarding the income and resources of those persons. Existing federal law and state regulations provide that if a sponsored alien is determined to be indigent, as specified, the sponsored alien shall be exempt from the sponsor deeming requirements for a period beginning on the date of that indigency determination and ending 12 months after that date. This bill would, to the extent permitted by federal law, waivers, and directives, require a county to renew the 12-month exception period for additional 12-month periods for a sponsored applicant for, or recipient of, CalWORKs benefits who is deemed to meet the indigence requirement, as specified. The bill would require the department to commence implementing this provision when the department notifies the Legislature that the California Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement the 12-month renewals. The bill would authorize the department to implement and administer this provision through all-county letters or similar instructions until regulations are adopted, and require the department to adopt regulations no later than 24 months after the release of the all-county letters or similar instructions. By increasing county duties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of implementing the bill. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Who sponsors AB 944?
AB 944 is sponsored by Quirk, Skinner, Chiu, Gipson, Mike A. (Democratic), and Wieckowski.
What is the current status of AB 944?
This bill died with 2019-2020 Regular Session. It reached “To Executive” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track AB 944?
Track AB 944 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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