California 2023-2024 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate 3 D cosponsors

SB 491 — Public social services: county departments: mail programs.

Last action — September 1 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

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

This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” 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This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis.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 establishes the State Department of Social Services to administer public social services and authorizes the department to adopt regulations to implement the law enforced by the department. Existing law requires a county board of supervisors to establish a county department, run by a director appointed by the board, for the administration of public social services and promotion of public understanding of the public social services provided by the county. Existing law authorizes the board to contract with other counties, the State Department of Public Health, or the State Department of Health Care Services for the operation, maintenance, and establishment of services a county board of supervisors deems desirable to provide to eligible individuals. This bill would require a local county entity that administers public benefits to develop and implement a program to ensure that, at a minimum, homeless residents of a county can pick up and receive government-related mail addressed to them at a place designated by the local county entity. The bill would make the program participation optional for homeless residents. The bill would also require the local county entity to provide program participants with specified information regarding the program, including hours of operation. The bill would clarify that program participation would not establish residency. The bill would define what qualifies as government-related mail. The bill would also require, on or before January 1, 2025, the State Department of Social Services to adopt specified regulations regarding the mail program, with input from stakeholders. The bill would require the department to implement and administer these provisions through all-county letters or similar instructions until regulations are adopted. By imposing new duties on counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would state that it is the intent of the Legislature that these provisions are meant to provide minimum standards for county mail programs, and that counties are encouraged to expand upon these standards by holding all types of mail for homeless residents, providing various mail pickup points, and informing homeless residents when they have mail. 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. September 1 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.

  2. August 16 set for first hearing. Placed on suspense file.

  3. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 11). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  4. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.

  5. June 20 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.

  6. Referred to Com. on HUM. S.

  7. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  8. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 1300.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  9. Ordered to special consent calendar.

  10. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  11. From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 1172.) (May 18).

  12. Set for hearing May 18.

  13. May 8 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.

  14. Set for hearing May 8.

  15. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 876.) (April 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  16. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.

  17. Set for hearing April 24.

  18. Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.

  19. From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 17.

  20. Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 2 co-sponsors · 119 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (2)

Not signed on (119)

119 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 119 →

"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]

Passed 7 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 4001
Unaffiliated 1000
Republican 2000
Total 7001
% of votes cast 88%0%0%13%
How each member voted (8)
Member Party Vote
Eduardo Garcia — Yea
Arambula, Joaquin Democratic Yea
Bonta, Mia Democratic Yea
Bryan, Isaac G. Democratic Yea
Calderon, Lisa Democratic Not Voting
Jackson, Corey A. Democratic Yea
Alanis, Juan Republican Yea
Sanchez, Kate Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Special Consent SB491 Durazo et al.

Passed 40 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 11000
Democratic 22000
Republican 7000
Total 40000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Roth — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Newman — Yea
Min — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Dodd — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Ashby, Angelique V. Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Blakespear, Catherine S. Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Yea
Gonzalez, Lena A. Democratic Yea
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Menjivar, Caroline Democratic Yea
Nguyen, Stephanie Democratic Yea
Padilla, Stephen C. Democratic Yea
Rubio, Susan Democratic Yea
Smallwood-Cuevas, Lola Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wahab, Aisha Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Alvarado-Gil, Marie Republican Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea
Niello, Roger W. Republican Yea
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Yea
Seyarto, Kelly Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety housing civil-rights
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 SB 491 do?
Existing law establishes the State Department of Social Services to administer public social services and authorizes the department to adopt regulations to implement the law enforced by the department. Existing law requires a county board of supervisors to establish a county department, run by a director appointed by the board, for the administration of public social services and promotion of public understanding of the public social services provided by the county. Existing law authorizes the board to contract with other counties, the State Department of Public Health, or the State Department of Health Care Services for the operation, maintenance, and establishment of services a county board of supervisors deems desirable to provide to eligible individuals. This bill would require a local county entity that administers public benefits to develop and implement a program to ensure that, at a minimum, homeless residents of a county can pick up and receive government-related mail addressed to them at a place designated by the local county entity. The bill would make the program participation optional for homeless residents. The bill would also require the local county entity to provide program participants with specified information regarding the program, including hours of operation. The bill would clarify that program participation would not establish residency. The bill would define what qualifies as government-related mail. The bill would also require, on or before January 1, 2025, the State Department of Social Services to adopt specified regulations regarding the mail program, with input from stakeholders. The bill would require the department to implement and administer these provisions through all-county letters or similar instructions until regulations are adopted. By imposing new duties on counties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would state that it is the intent of the Legislature that these provisions are meant to provide minimum standards for county mail programs, and that counties are encouraged to expand upon these standards by holding all types of mail for homeless residents, providing various mail pickup points, and informing homeless residents when they have mail. 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 SB 491?
SB 491 is sponsored by Durazo, Maria Elena (Democratic), Umberg, Thomas J. (Democratic), and Wiener, Scott D. (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 491?
This bill died with 2023-2024 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” 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 SB 491?
Track SB 491 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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