State Legislative Priorities
CWDA State Policy Priorities
Each year, CWDA solicits input on legislative priorities from the counties and its committees. The following priorities have been adopted for the current legislative session.
- Advocating for improvements to the child welfare system, including:
- Reasonable workloads and caseload standards for workers in all parts of the system to allow for individualized focus on the needs of children and families.
- Increased flexibility and funding, and enhanced use of existing funding sources, for prevention and early intervention strategies to keep families strong and children safe in their communities.
- Increased attention to the needs of teenagers who are in the child welfare system, including supports to help them make permanent connections to adults in their lives and successfully transition to adulthood.
- A concerted effort to recruit, support and retain resource families, including relative caregivers, foster families and adoptive parents.
- Helping counties and the state take the next steps in welfare reform, to help families and children continue moving toward self-sufficiency.
- Increasing participation in the Food Stamp program.
- Simplifying the Medi-Cal program to streamline administration and improve access to health coverage for uninsured families.
- Supporting vulnerable elder and dependent adults in order to help them live safely in their own homes
- Identifying and resolving cases of abuse and neglect of elder and dependent adults, including financial abuse of this vulnerable population, and tracking the incidence of elder abuse and neglect in order to inform policy responses.
CWDA is sponsoring several pieces of legislation to accomplish these goals.
AB 12 by Assembly Member Jim Beall - Implements portions of HR 6893, the federal Fostering Connections to Success Act, to provide transitional benefits to foster youth up to age 21. Also creates a structure for California to draw down federal matching funds for eligible children placed with relative guardians. Cosponsoring with the John Burton Foundation, SEIU State Council, California Youth Connection, Youth Law Center, Children's Law Center of Los Angeles, California Alliance of Child and Family Services, and Judicial Council. STATUS: In the Senate, referred to Senate Human Services and Judiciary Committees.
AB 1758 by Assembly Member Tom Ammiano - Removes the pilot status of the wraparound services program for children in foster care, making the program permanent. Cosponsoring with the City and County of San Francisco and the California Alliance of Child and Family Services. STATUS: Passed by Assembly Human Services Committee on consent. Next moves to Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 2018 by Assembly Member Nancy Skinner - Creates an inter-county transfer process for the Food Stamp program, allowing recipients who move from one county to another to transfer their case rather than having to reapply for the program as they must under current law. STATUS: Introduced, referred to Assembly Human Services Committee (April 13 hearing).
AB 2435 by Assembly Member Bonnie Lowenthal - Encourages Marriage and Family Therapists to receive experience working with elder and dependent adults as part of their training. Cosponsoring with the California Commission on Aging and the Congress of California Seniors. STATUS: Introduced, referred to Assembly Business and Professions Committee (April 6 Hearing).
SB 654 by Senator Mark Leno - Enables foster youth placed with non-related legal guardians established through the juvenile dependency court to access Independent Living Program services. Cosponsoring with the Children's Law Center of Los Angeles. STATUS: In the Assembly, referred to the Assembly Human Services Committee.
SB 1084 by Senator Carol Liu - Creates a two-year, time-limited task force with diverse representation, including a representative of county human services agencies, to inventory programs designed to reduce poverty, make recommendations regarding steps to increase the economic security of Californians by 50 percent by 2020, and to develop a plan for an ongoing, sustainable commission on poverty. Cosponsoring with the Western Center on Law and Poverty, the Insight Center for Community Economic Development, and the Women's Foundation of California. STATUS: Introduced, passed by Senate Business and Professions Committee (March 22 hearing). Next moves to Senate Rules Committee.
Chaptered & Vetoed State Legislation
At the conclusion of each legislative session, CWDA compiles a summary of state legislation of interest to the association. The report includes the chapter number of each bill signed into law by the Governor and information on bills the Governor vetoes. Complete copies of each bill can be found by visiting the California State Legislative Bill Search site maintained by Legislative Council at www.leginfo.ca.gov/bilinfo.html.
2009 Chaptered & Vetoed Legislation
2008 Chaptered & Vetoed Legislation
2007 Chaptered & Vetoed Legislation
2004 Chaptered & Vetoed Legislation
2003 Chaptered & Vetoed Legislation
2002 Chaptered & Vetoed Legislation
2001 Chaptered & Vetoed Legislation