Assembly Standing Committee on Human Services

For those who are going to be dialing in as witnesses, we will be using a moderated telephone service through which any member of the public can testify on a bill.

The call in number for this hearing is 877-692-8957 and the access code is 1315437. You can also find this number on the Committee website as well as on your TV screen. If you are calling in, please do so now. The operator on the line will give you instructions on how to be placed in queue based on whether you support or oppose a bill.

When calling in, please be mindful of and eliminate all background noise. Today, once we have established quorum, we will have 16 bills, but we will hear them starting now on the agenda, three of which are on consent. Please note that we limit testimony to two witnesses in support and two witnesses in opposition.

Each witness has two minutes to testify. Any additional witnesses may add on by stating their name and affiliation. First up, I believe we have Ms. Bonta, would you like to start off with AB 1352?

Before you start, we just have a quorum, so we're going to get this going. Madam Secretary, please.

[Roll call]

Chair, can we have another Member vote?

Yes, not a problem. Do I have a motion on the consent calendar? It's been moved. Can I get a second? It's been seconded. Madam Secretary, please read. Please call the roll.

File item number five, AB 94 Davies. File item eight, AB 928. Reyes. File item nine, AB 1039 Reyes. On the consent calendar. [Roll call]

Okay. Consent calendar has passed out. Mr. Carrillo, why don't you come on up? You can just let us know what bill you would like to hear first.

AB 555, if that's okay.

AB 555, and you may start when you're ready.

Thank you, Mr. Chair and Members of the Committee for allowing me to present AB 555, and before I begin, I want to respectfully accept the amendments that the Committee proposed and thank the Chair and Committee Consultant for working with me on this bill. As California works to implement universal prekindergarten for all four-year-olds and increase access for three-year-olds, this bill will seek to do the following: reduce barriers in serving three-year-olds, promote equitable access to high-quality early childhood education, and strengthen the system for all children in California.

As a parent, I know firsthand the challenges families face regarding early childhood education. I have seen how difficult it can be to navigate a complex and often confusing system, especially for families struggling to make ends meet. Unfortunately, many families in California face significant challenges when accessing high-quality early childhood, especially those with three-year-olds.

In October of 2021, California only served 8.5 percent of the over 300,000 eligible three-year-olds in the State of California Preschool Program. This is why AB 555 is so important. It will help level the playing field for all families to ensure that every child has access to the high-quality education they deserve.

Research indicates that high-quality early childhood education is essentially effective in reducing the opportunity gap for Black and Hispanic children and other children that have been historically excluded from early childhood education opportunities, especially when these children enroll as three-year-old and receive two years of high-quality pre-K. AB 555 seeks to address these challenges head on by prioritizing three-year-olds as the same priority as four-year-olds, lowest income first.

This is a critical step towards ensuring that all children in California, especially those from families with the lowest incomes, have equal access to the high-quality early childhood education they need to succeed. In addition, the bill will provide equitable support for three-year and four-year-olds who need additional support, such as children with disabilities, children that are dual language learners, and children that are at risk. We know that some children require extra assistance to succeed in early childhood education, and AB 555 will ensure that these children receive the support that they need to thrive.

Furthermore, this bill also seeks to strengthen system coherence by insurance and programs of funding within their contract to pay for their fixed costs by funding-based enrollment rather than attendance.

This is a critical step toward ensuring that our early childhood education system is responsive to the needs of all children, especially those who may face significant challenges while making it easier for preschool programs to enroll children and stabilize their business model in recovering from the pandemic and with the launch of universal pre-K.

Joining me here today is Virginia Early, Education Administration for the Early Education Division at the California Department of Education, who can answer any technical questions, and it will also be joining me remotely by Dr. Dean Tagawa, Executive Director of the Early Childhood Education Division with the Los Angeles Unified School District. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Good afternoon, Chair and Members. Virginia Early. I'm the Policy Administrator for the Early Education Division at the California Department of Education. So by 2025, California will expand universal pre-K for all four-year-olds and a growing number of three-year-olds. And this really presents a historic opportunity for the California State Preschool Program to serve more three-year-old children.

But as we just heard, California has a long way to go and we're only serving about eight and a half percent of the 300,000 children that are eligible. As we've looked at the reasons why, we've heard some key reasons from our programs--at these California State Preschool Programs. First, current law actually requires prioritizing four-year-olds from higher income families before enrolling a three-year-old from a lower income family.

Additionally, programs receive more additional funding to serve certain four-year-olds than they receive for three-year-olds. So, for example, programs receive 33 percent more funding to serve a three-year-old with disabilities, but 140 percent more funding to serve a four-year-old with disabilities. AB 555 will address these barriers and align with recommendations from the master plan around serving more three-year-olds.

The bill also proposes funding programs based on enrollment rather than attendance, which, as we heard, acknowledges fixed cost programs face and provides an important protection for state preschool contractors as they recover from the impacts the pandemic has had on attendance and as they are increasingly reexamining a business model that has historically relied on four-year-olds.

In summary, the provisions of the bill will allow programs to recover and increase access while making sure that high-quality preschool experiences through UPK can give California's children the great start they need to succeed in school and life.

And now we will have Dr. Tagawa on the phone for us to testify.

Your line is open if you're on the phone. I do not see them connected on the phone.

Okay, are there any other witnesses in support? Please come on up and state your name and affiliation, please all.

I'm the legislative advocate with Los Angeles Unified School District. My name is the legislative advocate with Los Angeles Unified School District. I can offer Dr. Tagawa's testimony if that's preferable.

I will leave that to the author.

If that's okay with you, sir.

Please. He's a big guy, but he's friendly.

All right. Good afternoon, Chair Jackson and Members. My name is Anna Ioakimedes from the Los Angeles Unified School District testifying on behalf of Dr. Dean Tagawa, who's the Executive Director of Early Childhood Education Division with the Los Angeles Unified School District. Los Angeles Unified is proud to support Assembly Bill 555 to allow California State Preschool programs to better serve children and families in their communities by implementing greater flexibility to serve three year olds.

Current CSPP admittance protocols require that programs prioritize the enrollment of four year olds over three year olds. This provision was meant to ensure that as many children as possible receive at least one year of early learning before entering kindergarten. However, with the expansion of transitional kindergarten, all four year olds now have access to a year of high quality early learning regardless of income. This creates an opportunity for CSPP to serve a greater number of three year olds.

However, the existing policies do not support this desirable outcome. Currently, the highest income eligible four year olds must be enrolled before even the most disadvantaged three year olds. Additionally, programs receive greater funding to serve four year olds who need extra support than they receive for three year olds with the same characteristics. AB 555 would allow additional funding for children who are at risk and would remove current funding restrictions for children who fall into one or more risk categories.

Furthermore, only 53% of three year olds in Los Angeles County who are eligible for state preschool actually attend. This is an opportunity to give more three year olds the opportunity to attend an additional year of preschool and help California move closer to the goal of universal preschool. AB 555 will permit CSPP providers to give more three year olds the same attendance priority as four year olds based on income and provide equitable supports to 3 and 4 year olds based on their needs.

Evidence demonstrates that two years of high quality early learning beginning at age three reduces opportunity gaps. These outcomes are especially pronounced for children of color and those from underserved backgrounds. Allowing CSPP programs the flexibility to enroll more three year olds extends this valuable opportunity to more children and will lead to better health, academic and career outcomes. For these reasons, Los Angeles Unified respectfully requests your aye vote on AB 555.

Fantastic. Those who are in the room for support, please come on up. State your name and affiliation, please.

Good afternoon. Patti Herrera, on behalf of the Santa Clara County Office of Education, in support.

Hi. Laurie Furstenfeld from the Childcare Law Center, Director of Legal Advocacy. We do not have a position on the bill. We appreciate Assemblymember Carrillo's amendments to the bill to ensure that the title 22 protections remain and to keep kids healthy and safe. We do have a question about Amendment 82429(d). The bill purports to pay providers-

At this time, we're only just allowing whether you support or, but we're not allowing any questions or anything. But if you have additional concerns, please just work directly with the author.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, Members. Sara Noceto, on behalf of State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, in support.

Now we will turn to any support on the phone. Is there anyone on the phone at this time wishing to speak in support?

Thank you. If you're in support, you may press one and then zero. And we do have line 36, your line is open.

Hello. Hi, thank you. My name is Lucy Tivan. I'm calling on behalf of Equal Rights Advocates in a strong support of AB 596. Thank you so much.

Thank you. And we do have two more on the line. One moment for their line numbers, and we go to line 25. Your line is open.

Hello. Leticia Garcia with the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools in support.

Thank you. And we'll go to line 32. Your line is open. Line 32, your line is open.

I am Rosalina Bobadilla for Family Child Care. I support.

Thank you. And we have no further support in queue at this time.

Thank you very much. Now, if there's anyone in opposition in the room at this time, please come up and state your name and affiliation. Anyone in opposition? Seeing none. Is there any opposition on the phone?

Thank you. If you're in opposition, you may press one and then zero again. That is one and then zero for any opposition. Then we have no opposition. Oh, we do have one. One moment and we will go to Line 32, your line is open. Line 32, your line is open. All right. And we'll just move on. And we have no further opposition in queue.

Thank you very much. Now we will turn to members of the Committee. Are there any questions for the author at this time? Have a motion. Have a second. Sir, would you like to close?

I just want to thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the Committee. I do believe that education is the primary focus of what we should be doing to encourage a brighter California. And I just want to thank you for you allowing me to present this bill, and I respectfully ask for your aye vote. Thank you.

Okay, we have a motion by Bryan, second by Alanis. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

The motion is due pass as amended, to the Assembly Education Committee. [Roll call]

The vote is six to zero. The Bill is out. All right. Would you like to. Thank you very much. Your second Bill, AB 1536.

Thank you, Mr. Chair and Members, for allowing me to present AB 1536. This Bill seeks to expand the currently existing cash assistant program for immigrants, or CAPI, to allow access to the program regardless of immigration status. This Bill will also remove the requirement to submit an application to the supplemental security income or state supplementary payment, SSIP or SSP, for denial. I want to start by sharing a little history about myself. I immigrated this country at the age of 15 from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

I came to this country to work and to obtain an education and to achieve the American dream. And I do believe that American dream is still attainable. My first job was in construction and as a dishwasher. And I know firsthand what it's like to work in a backbreaking job, working long hours and worry day in and day out if I had enough money to put food on the table for my siblings. California is home to approximately 17,000 undocumented seniors who are 65 or older.

Of these seniors, about 7000 do not have a job or are in the labor force, and 2200 are at or below a poverty level. And over 700,000 undocumented immigrants in California have lived and work here for over 20 years. For some of us, that's our parents and grandparents who have seen for decades contribute a significant money to our economy through taxes and household expenses, and I am one of those. I came here when I was 15, and I started working at a young age.

And California has made historic investments in expanding food assistant benefits, and unlocking Medi-Cal for undocumented seniors. But we have fallen short in doing the same for the cash assistance program for immigrants, or CAPI. Currently, this life saving program is only limited to qualified immigrants, which excludes our larger undocumented population. These are the very benefits that they have often paid into over for the course of their work in our state. We've seen over time how impactful these dollars have been for individuals facing extreme poverty.

I want to be clear that when we talk about inclusivity in our state, I want to remind everyone that it also includes our seniors, especially our undocumented population. I am proud to be working with CHIRLA to further uplift the voices of those who simply want to live the rest of their years with dignity and respect. Joining me here today to testify and answer any technical question is Rita Medina, Deputy Director of Policy and Advocacy with CHIRLA. And we also have joining me, CHIRLA member Margot Valverde.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

And I'll be translating for Margot after she's done delivering her remarks.

[speaking in Spanish].

My name is Margot Valverde. I am a Peruvian and a member of CHIRLA for more than 12 years. I live in Van Nuys, California. I've worked for many years cleaning houses until I got surgery on my hips. At 66 years old, I still work as a street vendor as undocumented. We're more than 12 million in California who have worked since we've arrived to fulfill the American dream, contributing to the economy and the economic development of this country.

But the sad thing is that we're denied relief because we are undocumented. Four years ago, I needed medical attention and stopped working due to hip surgery. At that time, I needed help to cover my expenses, but I couldn't find any. My oldest son told me about the CAPI program, but I was surprised when they asked me my status, citizen or resident. I thought this couldn't happen.

I called by phone to explain my situation and the representative of the program told me, no, ma'am, you can't apply because you are undocumented. If you submit your application, we are sorry, but it will not be approved. And this caused me much pain. All this despite the fact that I have paid my taxes like any other citizen, year after year. Apparently, to pay taxes, I don't need a Social Security number, but for the government does give me an ITIN number to pay taxes.

This is not fair. That's why I give my testimony to extend the CAPI program so that anyone who needs assistance is not discriminated against because of their immigration status. I thank the representatives who have presented this initiative and especially assemblymember Juan Carrillo. I hope that God gives wisdom to the Legislature. I ask for your support and that you be our voice so that the system is fair with undocumented immigrants and that we can have a dignified retirement.

Okay then. My name is Rita Medina. I'm the Deputy Director of Policy and Advocacy at CHIRLA, as was mentioned, and I'm going to also be providing testimony this afternoon. CHIRLA is a proud sponsor of AB 1536, a Bill that would expand access to the cash assistance program for immigrants, CAPI. The need for this Bill came directly from our impacted membership. Like Margot, our members are aging.

They're domestic workers, construction workers, street vendors, day laborers. Many of these individuals have been living in this country for decades, but still don't have a pathway to citizenship in sight and are aging into poverty and without any retirement benefits or relief when work is no longer possible in these physically demanding jobs. The program in front of you all today will begin to address this, starting with the most in need.

California established CAPI in 1998 following the '96 federal welfare law that cut access to federal SSI program for qualified immigrants. CAPI is a 100% state funded program designed to mirror SSI and provide a monthly cash benefit to individuals who are aged or blind or disabled and are qualified immigrants who are ineligible for SSI SSP solely due to their immigration status. By creating CAPI, the state took action to ensure that the most vulnerable individuals would continue to have access to a benefit they relied on.

For those who receive cappy benefits, the program serves as a critical lifeline to pay for basic necessities such as housing and food. The program is not currently open to undocumented individuals. Now, almost 26 years after the creation of CAPI, it's time to expand who has access to this benefit. In 2019, undocumented people contributed an estimated $3.7 billion to California's economy through local and state taxes.

Immigrants and undocumented individuals help fund some of the very benefits and retirement programs that they are completely shut out of accessing when they can no longer work. Today, there are estimated 17,000 undocumented individuals who are 65 and older, as the Assembly Member has mentioned, and we know that right behind this is a population that's larger and comprised of individuals who are 50 years and older who will continue to age, and we must be prepared to address their needs.

AB 1536 is a pro worker, pro retirement, pro immigrant Bill that would provide some support to our most vulnerable undocumented seniors and disabled population. Passing AB 1536 is a step in the right direction to ensure those in need have options to access support. With that, I close and ask for an aye vote on this Bill. Thank you.

Are there any witnesses in opposition here? Seeing none. Are there any people in support in the hearing room? Please come up. State your name and affiliation.

Kevin Aslanian, Coalition of California Welfare Rights Organization. Strong support. Thank you.

Afternoon, Chairman Members Jared Call with Nourish California, strong support.

Good afternoon. Mar Velez with the Latino Coalition for Healthy California and strong support.

Good afternoon. Cynthia Gomez, state policy advocate with CHIRLA here in strong support.

Buenos tardes, mi nombre es Arturo Garcia. I support AB 1536.

Good afternoon. Omar Ruiz member of CHIRA and support AB 1536.

Hi, my name is Carmen Lopez. I support the 1536. Thank you.

Christopher Sanchez with the Western Center on Law & Poverty. Proud to be very supportive of this Bill.

Alondra Mendoza with the Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project, ... and an advocate. I'm in support of AB 1536.

Vanessa Terán, Policy Director with the Director of Policy at Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project in strong support.

Hi, my name is Patricia Salazar in community organizing for CHIRLA. I very support the AB 1536. Thank you.

Is there anyone in support on the phone line?

Thank you. If you're in support, you may press one and then zero again. That's one and then zero. If you're in support, we will go to line 38. Your line is open.

Hello, this is Kevan Insko with the Friends Committee on Legislation of California in strong support. Thank you.

Thank you. Next we will go to line 33. Your line is open.

Good afternoon. Tiffany Whiten with SEIU California in strong support. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Next we'll go to line 22. Your line is open.

Thank you. This is Deb Roth with Disability Rights California in strong support. Thank you very much.

Thank you. And next we'll go to line 41. Your line is open.

Hi, Parent Voices California in strong support of AB 1536.

Thank you. Next we'll go to line 37. Your line is open.

Hi, Member and Chair, Yesenia Jimenez with GRACE & End Child Poverty in California in strong support.

Thank you. Next we'll go line 48. Your line is open.

Eddie Carmona on behalf of PICO California in strong support. Thank you.

Thank you. Next we'll go to line 47. Your line is open.

Hi, Trinh Phan with Justice and Aging calling in support of AB 1536. Thank you.

Thank you. Next we'll go to line 39. Your line is open.

Lily Hernandez with the National Association of ... California Chapter and we are in strong support.

Thank you. And we have no further support in queue at this time.

Now we'll move to opposition. Is there anyone in the room that's in opposition? Seeing none. Is there anyone in opposition on the phone line?

Thank you. If you're in opposition, you may press one and then zero again. That is one and then zero if you're in opposition and we have no opposition in queue.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to thank the author, CHIRLA, the entire coalition for all of this incredible work. It is incredibly unfortunate that we have people who are paying into systems that they can't use solely because of their immigration status. Proud co author and happy to make a motion to move the Bill.

Assembly Member Calderon.

Thank you very much. Now we'll have Members of the Committee. Any questions for the author or comments? Assembly Member Bryan?

Yes. I'd just like to thank you, Assemblyman, for bringing this Bill forward. Know this is very much needed. It's long overdue. And I also would love to be added as co author and I'll second the motion. Thank you.

Assemblymember Bonta.

I'm proud to already be a co author and I just wanted to take a moment to say what I heard when we came together in support of this, which is nuestros ancianos ... nuestros corazones. And I just want to thank you for recognizing that if people are paying into a system, they should be able to be taken care of in their moment of need and being 66 and still having to fight for and not having the awareness, or not having the ability with awareness to rightly receive those funds to be able to retire with dignity. We can do better in California.

Any other Members? Assemblymember Alanis.

Yes, for the author. Do you guys have an estimate on what the cost would be?

We do, and I want to refer that to Rita.

So the Assemblymember has a budget ask out right now for 35 million. This is math that takes into account an estimate of the amount of folks who could benefit. So he mentioned the 2200 individuals who are living below the poverty level. If you estimate an average benefit and multiply that, that's about a year's worth. So getting the program up and running and having it move forward for a year. In conversations with the Department, there are, I think, differences, and it could be lower.

I think one of the hard pieces about the budget ask is this is a population that's difficult to count, and so we don't know the exact numbers, and we're hoping that this conversation helps us to unlock that.

What we know is that there is a $2.5 billion amount that is contributed by immigrants. If you hear that amount of $35 million and compare that to $2.5 billion, approximately that the undocumented population is contributing to the United States and also to the fourth largest economy, which is the State of California, I do believe that that is an insignificant number based on the contributions that we, the immigrant community, provide.

Any other Members at this time? Seeing none, the Committee is recommending an aye vote on this. Assemblymember, would you like to close?

Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair, Members. AB 1536 is a step in the right direction to expand access to the CAPI program again an already existing benefit for the state's small, vulnerable seniors and disabled undocumented population. And ensure undocumented individuals do not fear having to unnecessarily enter into the federal database. As a proud Mexican immigrant, I am committed to fighting for what I believe is the right thing to do. And that means the rights for all immigrants.

I know what it's like to risk my life to come to the greatest country in the world of the United States. I know what it's like leaving my siblings behind. I know what it's like attaining the American dream. I know what it's like working hard during the day and go to school at night. Most of my education I attained going to school at night. And I know that the American dream is still attainable. But I know that it's sleeping away.

I also know what it's like to contribute my income taxes to the state. And I know what it's like not being able to get back what I deserved while I was undocumented for three years. Thankfully, my parents benefited from the amnesty program, and that's how me and my siblings were able to attain the American dream. The right thing to do is to give just a little bit back to those seniors who were here 20, 30 and some even up to 40 years of their life. It's time that we recognize that, and it's time that we give them their senior years with dignity. With that, I ask for your aye vote. Thank you.

We have a motion by Bryan. A second by Calderon. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

The motion is do passed to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. [Roll Call].

The Bill remains on call at this time.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Members of the Committee have a great day.

Looking out, our next one in line is not here, so we can go with the first one that was here.

Is that okay? Ms. Reyes was allowing me to go ahead of her, if that's okay.

Okay. Mr. Ting, come on up.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

You may begin when you're ready.

Thank you. AB 525 would establish a housing supplement for foster youth placed in supervised independent living placements to help them afford rising housing costs. As you know, our foster youth are some of our most vulnerable youth and have a very difficult time affording housing.

The basic rate of 1,129 provided to youth in these placements has not kept pace, leaving them vulnerable in housing instability. We have data showing that nearly half of the youth in foster care in California experience an episode of homelessness between age 18 and 21, and more than one-third experience homelessness more than once, with individual's episodes averaging weeks to months.

So AB 525 would establish a SILP housing supplement payment to augment the monthly amount they get based on the cost of housing in their county of residence. In 2020, I successfully championed a proposal that established a similar supplement for transitional housing. This bill would build on that work and extend that benefit to youth in SILPs. With that, I have two witnesses: Ms. Dunlap and also Ms. Lee.

Good afternoon, Chair and Members of the Committee. My name is Ajanique Dunlap. I'm a student in Sacramento State. I also 24 years old. I was in foster care and extended foster care. When I was 18, I moved from my foster home. I was experiencing homelessness because I was on a waitlist. So for the supervised independent living placement, the SILP, I had about 900 dollars a month. I paid 350 dollars a month to help pay the mortgage at the time.

It didn't cover all my basic expenses like clothes, shelter, transportation, and school costs. Within the first month, I knew things were not going well. My family friend wanted a higher monthly payment for my SILP at the time. Her mortgage was increased. I couldn't afford to pay anything anymore, so all the costs were going up. So I moved out.

I left my belongings with my dependency attorney and my CASA worker. 900 dollars wasn't enough for an apartment in Sacramento, even if you were rooming with someone. At the time there was a housing crisis and there was a lot of people who were homeless and a lot of people like me that had nowhere to go. I didn't have a credit at the time. I didn't have a consistent job. I was only 18.

I was only staying at a friend's house for a couple of weeks and that didn't last. I had a part time job. I was working at the Sacramento Kings Arena. I was waiting to get placed for my transitional housing placement. I contacted everyone. Everyone was either out of town or they said no. I bounced through two or more homes before that. I failed my summer classes that semester and I moved like five times within age 18 to 21 and experienced homelessness.

Today I ask you for your vote in support of AB 525, that foster youth can have enough to secure a room for rent, and thank you so much for the care and foster youth, and I hope that we have your vote to increase the SILP payment for the housing supplement. Thank you.

Well done. Well done. Next.

Simone Tureck Lee with John Burton Advocates for Youth, and I'm just here to answer any technical questions anyone has.

Okay. Thank you very much. At this time, is there any witnesses in opposition? Seeing none, those who are here in the room for support, please come on up. State your name and affiliation, please.

Mr. Chair and Members, Martha Guerrero, representing the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, grateful for the leadership of the author, Assembly Member Ting, and urge your aye vote. Thank you.

Colleen Pagter, on behalf of First Place For Youth, in support.

Susanna Kniffen with Children Now, in support.

Good afternoon, Chair and Members. Tyler Rinde, on behalf of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, in support.

Franco Vega, Executive Director of the Rightway Foundation and LA County Children's Commission, in full support.

Daniel Heimpel, foster youth advocate, full support.

Kenzo Soe, former foster youth with the Robert Foundation, in full support.

Is there anyone on the phone lines in support?

If you'd like to speak in support, please press one and then zero. We'll go to the line of 51. 51, your line is open.

Good afternoon, Chair and Members. My name is Alexis, former foster youth and now advocate, here in full support of AB 525. Thank you so much.

Thank you. We'll go next to line 55.

Hi. My name is Anisa Khanmohamed, and I'm with Allies for Every Child, a community-based nonprofit in Los Angeles, calling in full support of AB 525 to establish the SILP housing supplement for youth in extended foster care. Thank you.

Thank you. We'll go next to line 52.

Sylvia Hernandez with the National Association of California Chapter for Social Workers, and we are in strong support.

Thank you. We'll go next to line 56.

Hi. My name is Emmerald Evans from GRACE End Child Poverty, California, calling in full support of AB 525 to establish the SILP housing supplement for youth in extended foster care. Thank you.

There are no further lines for support.

Moving on to opposition, is there any opposition here in the room? Seeing none, is there any opposition on the phone lines?

For opposition, please press one then zero. And there are no lines in queue at this time.

Members of the Committee, are there any questions or comments? It's been moved. Seconded. The Committee is recommending an aye vote on this. Assembly Member, would you like to close?

Just respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Okay. We have a motion. We have a second. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

The motion is 'do pass to the Assembly Appropriations Committee.' [Roll Call]

The vote is six to zero. The bill is out. Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Now we have AB 435 by Cervantes, I believe I saw. Yep. Welcome. And you can start whenever you're ready.

Thank you, Mr. Chair and Committee Members, for the opportunity to present Assembly Bill 435. Today, I do want to start by accepting the Committee's suggested amendments as outlined on page five of the analysis. The purpose of this Bill is to add the cash assistance program for age blind and disabled legal immigrants, CAPI and refugee cash assistance, RCA, and the Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistant program, TCVAP, as a legislatively required addition to the California statewide automated welfare system, calsaws.

Currently, if an individual wanted to apply for CAPI, RCA, TCVAP, they must go through their local benefit office to seek an application and submit it as prescribed by their county social service agency. Unfortunately, due to the language barrier issues many immigrants face, applicants may rely on a family Member or friend for assistance in helping them navigate the application process. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the majority of us workers are at work during the hours of eight to five.

This means that individuals who wish to help their loved ones finish their application may face difficulties taking time off from work to provide in person assistance at relevant government offices during normal business hours. Denying individuals who are eligible for CAPI RCA TCVAP the opportunity to apply for benefits online creates an inequitable barrier to access for these groups of immigrants.

This Bill would offer recipients an equitable experience in applying for benefits online by expanding Cal's responsibilities to accept and process their applications through the benefit Cal online portal. With me to testify in support of the Bill, we have two individuals, Kevin Oslanean from the Coalition of Welfare Rights organization as well as Christopher Sanchez from Western center on Law and Poverty.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chan Members Christopher Sanchez, policy advocate with the Western center on Law and Poverty here in strong support and proud to be a co sponsor of AB 435, which will create an electronic application for public benefits programs such as Cappy and the Refugee Cash Assistance program, and others that currently don't have electronic applications.

This Bill will also ensure that county websites have the most up to date information about public benefit programs that support immigrant communities and is available on their social services website. AB 435 is an important measure to streamline applications to ensure that eligible Californians are able to get the assistance that they need in accessing our social safety nets. It is for these reasons we're proud to be a co sponsor and urge your aye vote.

Good afternoon. My name is Kevin Esdan. I'm with Coalition of California Rivas rights organizations. The Calsaws, which runs the benefits Cal Portal, was in 2019. Calsalls promised that when they developed the portal, we'll be able to accept CAPI applications, Calfresh applications, Cal Works applications, and Medi Cal applications. And that was supposed to be in release one. Now we're up to release five. And still they don't have cappy application.

So a person could apply for Cal Fresh and Medikow on the benefits Cal Portal, but then has to run down to the welfare office to submit the same information that they already gave to benefits Cal. They know your name, your address, all the factors, but they just won't process it for some reason. And this Bill is designed to make it easier for people and make government work right. Thank you for your support.

Thank you very much. Is there any opposition? Witnesses seeing none. Is there any support in the hearing room at this time, please state your name and affiliation.

Jerry Call with nourished California in support.

Seeing no other. Is there any support on the phone lines?

And for support, please press one, then zero. At this time. We'll go to line 60. Line 60, your line is open.

Hi, my name is Rose Jonathan. I'm a former foster youth from Butte County calling in support of AB 525. To establish the soap housing supplement for youth in extended foster care to have housing affordability and stability. Thank you.

We'll go next to line 61.

Hello, my name is Patrick Gabbit. I'm a former foster youth from Sacramento and San Francisco county. Calling in support of AB 525. To establish the silk housing supplement for youth and extended foster care. That was. I've been in a silk, and this means a lot. Thank you. Wait, is this the wrong one? Sorry. I'm very much in support, so. Yes, thank you.

We'll go next to line 52.

Line 52, your line is open.

Hello, can you hear me?

We can hear you.

Sylvia, with the National Association of Social Work. And we are in support with the California chapter.

Thank you. There are no other lines of support.

Is there anyone in the room in opposition? Seeing none. Is there any opposition on the phone lines?

And for opposition of AB 435 please press one, then zero. None at this time. Please continue.

Okay. Members of the Committee, any questions or comments? Assembly Member Alanis?

Yes, I just want to thank the witnesses for bringing to light and the author also for bringing this bill. I had no idea that something like this happened. You would think that with today's advancements and everything else that this would already been done. So this is obviously catching this up. So thank you, guys, and I'll be supporting this.

Any other Members, at this time? The Committee is recommending an aye vote. Assembly Member, would you like to close?

Yes, thank you. I want to echo what our sponsor said, making government work for the people and making sure everyone has an equitable experience. And I respectfully ask for your aye vote on AB 435.

Do we have a motion? And a second? It's been moved. Seconded. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

The motion is due pass as amended, to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. [Roll Call]

The vote is 6-0. The Bill is out. Thank you very much. Next we have AB 867. Assemblymember Friedman, thank you, and you may begin when you're ready.

Thank you, Mr. Chair and Members. AB 867 assists the successful transition to adulthood of young people by allowing courts to extend enrollment and extended foster care beyond age 21 until the county has fulfilled its obligation to ensure that the youth have the necessary support and services required under California law for transition age foster youth in foster care.

The law explicitly requires that county welfare agencies provide protections to ensure that when they leave foster care, they have a concrete plan for discharge that's supposed to provide safety, stability, and an opportunity to thrive.

For example, current state law requires county child welfare agencies, at the last scheduled review hearing held before a dependent child turns 18, and at every review hearing thereafter, to submit a report verifying that certain documents, information, and services have been provided to the minor or nonminor, including their Social Security card, birth certificate, a valid ID, as well as assistance to apply to college or a career technical program and secure housing.

However, the law is unclear regarding whether a court can maintain jurisdiction over a youth once they turn 21. When the county child welfare agency has not met these requirements. It's not surprising that 35% of youth in foster care reported experiencing homelessness while actively enrolled in extended foster care. Let that sink in. These are the youth that we have supposedly taken responsibility for, and we're allowing them to become homeless.

When a county fails to provide assistance to secure housing, youth are exiting the foster care system to homelessness. AB 867 will ensure that foster youth retain access to services and support by clarifying that the court may keep a case open past age 21 if those requirements to terminate jurisdictions have not been satisfactorily met and requiring the county welfare Department to verify efforts to ensure youth have access to relevant programs, services and documents before exiting the system.

California is one of the first states to start extended foster care programs, and since then we've heard from foster youth and the providers that serve them about successes, but also about shortcomings in the program. AB 867 is a step towards bridging some of the gaps in that safety net, and I would respectfully request your I vote. Testifying in support today will be Julie Mccormick with the Children's Law center of California and Bernadette Golami, a senior social worker in public counsel.

And I think they're both here on the phone. Yes, Ms. Mccormick, by phone. You may begin.

Good afternoon and thank you, chair Jackson and Committee Members. I'm Julie Mccormick, a senior policy attorney at the Children's Law Center of California. We are the largest children's legal services organization in the nation, advocating for around 30,000 children and youth in foster care in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Placer County. Out of those, over 1000 of them turn 21 each year, thereby aging out of the child welfare system.

The transition to adulthood and selfsufficiency can be challenging for any young person. For youth in foster care, the transition to life outside of the foster care system can be overwhelming. Many youth in foster care do not have the same safety nets and support networks as other youth their age, and the transition challenges can be even greater. Unfortunately, we see too many transition age youth.

These are youth between the ages of 18 to 21 exiting the system into homelessness, educational and employment instability, and food insecurity because they were not provided the necessary documents or connected to the appropriate supports and services as required under current law. The odds are stacked against these youth, and they are significant risks of homelessness and the involvement in the criminal justice system. AB 867 seeks to better support youth aging out of foster care, both dependents and wars in two important ways.

First, requiring verification that certain documents information and services have been provided to the youth before they age out of foster care. And second, this Bill will require the court if the youth agrees to maintain jurisdiction even after they turn 21, if they have not been provided with required services, information and documents before they age out.

This short term extension of jurisdiction to willing young adults who have not yet received the support they should have from the foster care system should help prevent some of the worst outcomes that too often befall former foster youth, including dire poverty and homelessness. Thank you to assemblymember Friedman for authoring this important legislation, and we respectfully request the Committee's aye vote.

Thank you very much. Now we have Ms. Golami on the phone.

Hi, good afternoon Mr. Chair and Members of the Committee. My name is Bernadette Golami and I'm a senior social worker with public council and I'm here to urge you to support AB 867. We've seen counties be successful in providing meaningful transition planning. One example is in the context of the 2021 foster care cliff that was going to happen when the pandemic related foster care extension was going to end in December of 2021 and 1300 youth in La County would all have their cases closed.

With pressure from advocates and the Board of Supervisors, La County child welfare Agency stepped into action in the fall of 2021. The agency provided real, meaningful transition planning, holding meetings with the young person agency staff, including someone from the housing division, representative from the county welfare office, contracted agencies with the county housing services, the youth dependency attorney and other advocates. They called it their enhanced process for exiting Tay. By January 2022, the agency had found housing for all 1300 youth who had exited care.

This is an excellent example of how county child welfare agency can provide necessary support prior to a youth aging out of extended foster care. When the agency focuses and uses their resources to the best of their abilities, however, a remedy is needed for situations when this does not happen. For example, we now have a client who is visually impaired, a new mother and turning 21 very soon, the youth is unable to fill out the transitional housing applications due to her visual impairment and other special needs.

Unfortunately, instead of helping the youth fill out the application, the worker has only provided lectures on self sufficiency and compliance. County agencies must meet youth where they are and provide true social work support to help youth build skills and, as with our client, learn to advocate for support on the tasks that involve skills they might not be able to develop. The goal of AB 867 is not for young people to stay in care past the age of 21.

The goal of this legislation is to ensure that prior to a youth turning 21, the county agency has taken appropriate action to ensure that every young person is supported and set up for successes when their case closes. AB 867 will provide a remedy when this doesn't happen, so that no more young people will experience what so many of my clients and so many of Julie's clients have experienced. Just severe homelessness and poverty. Thank you very much for your time. Thank you very much.

Is there any opposition? Witnesses saying none. Those in the room for support, please come up. State your name and affiliation, please.

Franco Vega, Executive Director of the Right Way foundation, also La County Children's Commissioner, in full support.

Good afternoon. Chair and Members, Tiffany Fan, on behalf of California court appointed special advocates, or CALCASA, in support of AB 867. Thank you.

Susanna Niffin with Children Now in support.

Simone Turek Lee with John Burton Advocates for youth. We support this Bill.

Kristen Power Alliance for children's rights in support.

Kenzo Sowa, youth advocate and former foster youth in support.

Thank you very much. Is there anyone in support on the phone lines at this time?

For support of AB 867, please press one, then zero at this time. We'll go to the line of 65.

Hello, this is Kevin Insko with the Friends Committee on legislation of California, in strong support. Thank you.

And we'll go next to line 52.

Hernandez with the National Association of Social Workers, California chapter. And we are in support. Thank you.

We have no further in support.

Moving on to opposition. Is there any opposition in the room at this time? Seeing none. Is there any opposition on the phone line?

For opposition on the phones, please press one, then zero. No opposition from the phones.

Members of the Committee, any questions or comments at this time?

Assembly Member Bryan, you've kept this fight up two years in a row because it's an important and righteous fight. Thank you for all you were doing, stood with you last year. We'll stand with you this year.

Any other Committee Members at this time move the Bill? It's been moved. Is there a second? It's been seconded. Mayor, Assembly Member, would you like to close?

As Assembly Member Brian said, we've been working on this now for a couple of years and would really ask for your support. And let's send a strong message to the Governor that we think this is a good place to put our resources. Thank you.

It's been moved by Bonta, second by Calderon. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

The motion is do passed to the Assembly Judiciary Committee. [Roll Call]

The vote is 6-0. The Bill is out. Thank you very much, madam Majority leader.

Finally. And you may begin when you're ready.

Move the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Chair and Members. AB 596 does two things. One is that it will establish a new way to pay child care providers based on the real cost of care, and the other is providing relief to families who receive subsidized care, to waive family fees for as long as we can, and to also put together a workgroup that's going to determine a sliding fee scale.

Those are the two main parts. Since there's already a motion and a second, I'd like to ask my witness, Stacy Lee, Chief Learning Officer and Senior Managing Director for Early Childhood at Children Now to provide her testimony.

Hello. Thank you, everyone. Thank you, Chair, Assembly Member Reyes, and Members of this Committee for the opportunity to discuss these issues today. I'm Stacy Lee, Chief Learning Officer and Senior Managing Director with Children Now.

It is my privilege to represent our bill cosponsors and an honor to represent the thousands of children and parents and providers who care deeply about child care in California and have participated in years of working groups: the Blue Ribbon Commission, the Master Plan, and now the Rate and Quality Workgroup. Thousands upon thousands of parents and providers have participated in focus groups and surveys. We have the data we need. We must make a change, and the situation is urgent.

AB 596 ensures that the recommendations of the Rate and Quality Workgroup, which reflects overwhelming consensus in the field, will be implemented with your input. We know that research tells us the importance of nurturing healthy brain development in the early years, requires that children have consistent, strong relationships with the adults in their lives, and this includes their child care providers.

Strengthening the child care workforce by finally addressing the antiquated rate system means that you're strengthening opportunities to support the wonderful bonding relationships children have with their providers, rather than increasing stress and distress for the child, parents, caregivers, and providers. In addition, we know that there's a workforce crisis in California across many industries. Every industry relies on the child care workforce. Addressing the child care crisis will help ensure and improve workforce issues in other areas.

AB 596 would require the state to develop a new rate system based on the true cost of providing care and seek federal approval for that model. The bill also requires the state to develop an equitable sliding scale for the payment of family fees and suspend fees until such a scale is implemented. As an advocacy group that works from a whole child perspective and works with multiple systems, we see the deep, deep inequities in how California treats child care workers and the families with young children.

It is simply unjust. The subsidized child care system, which only serves low-income children and a workforce comprised primarily of low-income women of color, is currently constructed in a way that deepens inequities. Right now, current rates only cover about half the cost of providing care, and if you work in a lower income county, you get paid a lower rate, whereas in public education, we helped fix these inequities, and districts that serve more low-income children or English learners and foster youth receive more funding.

In health care, we just zeroed out Medi-Cal premiums and copays for low-income families with children. What this tells me is that we know how to fix these types of inequities. The challenge is to act, and for that, we need your leadership and support. Thank you.

Is there another witness by phone?

Yes. We also have Maria Antonieta Jandres with Parent Voices, who knows firsthand why affordable child care is so important.

Okay. We'll go to the phones.

Good afternoon. My name is Maria Jandres with Parent Voices, California. I am proud to represent the families who have benefited from affordable family fees. When we can make our own choices of how to spend the money we have worked so hard to earn, it gives us freedom to be financial drivers of our family's future.

I am a single mother of a seven-year-old boy. I work three jobs. I earned my paralegal certificate while starting my own business, Antonieta Legal Services, and I work as a housing service coordinator as a real estate agent. I need to work all these jobs in order for me to support my family financially. Before family fee waivers, I was paying 350 dollars a month.

I paid the fees with a predatory credit card and paid just the minimum payment which meant I was being charged those high interest rates and creating more debt. I prioritize child care because without child care, I cannot work. Since the fees have been waived, there has been so much positive impact in my life. I put the 350 dollars towards paying off that horrible credit card and pay off a car loan. I was able to increase my credit score from 550 to 700.

I never heard about credit score or understood why it was so important. Now I have more confidence about my finances and my goal is to get to 800. We need an equitable fee system so families pay when we can afford it. My income has increased so I will have to pay 500 dollars in fees per month beginning July 1st. I will go back to working paycheck to paycheck, and the fear of going back into debt really scares me. I don't want to move backwards.

Child care for me doesn't only mean a place for my son to go while I'm working. It means that he's in a safe place, learning, and getting the adequate education he needs to be successful in life. I am asking the Committee to see these child care family fees as punishment for working hard and keeping us in poverty. As a former CalWORKs participant, a domestic violence survivor, and as someone working towards the American Dream, I have done everything you ask, but unaffordable child care family fees hold us back.

We need a permanent solution to fix the fees, and for this reason, I ask you to support this bill because quality, affordable child care keeps California working and children learning. Thank you so much.

Thank you very much. Is there any opposition witnesses at this time? Seeing none. Support in the room, please come up. Say your name and affiliation, please.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and Members. Kathy Van Osten, representing John Burton Advocates for Youth, in support.

Good afternoon. I'm Juliet Terry, representing the Child Care Resource Center. We're a proud cosponsor of the bill, and we are in strong support.

Good afternoon. My name is Yareli Magayon, here today on behalf of Silicon Valley Community Foundation. Thank you.

Good afternoon. Patti Herrera, on behalf of Early Edge California, in support.

Good afternoon. James Michael Agpalo with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. We're in strong support. Thank you.

Justina Erpelding with EveryChild California. We are cosponsors and in strong support.

Good afternoon. Kevin Aslanian. Strong support. Thank you.

Hi. Laurie Furstenfeld from the Child Care Law Center, in strong support.

Thank you very much. Any support on the phone lines?

Thank you. For in support, you may press one and then zero. We will go to line 50. Your line is open.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and Members. Malik Bynum with Child Care Providers UNITED on behalf of over 40,000 family child care providers in the state, calling in strong support of AB 596. Thanks.

Thank you. Next, we'll go to line 69. Your line is open.

Hello. This is Kevin Insco, Friends Committee on Legislation of California, in strong support. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, we'll go to line 29. Your line is open.

Hi. My name is Rosa Bobadilla. I'm a family child care provider, and I am in strong support of this because a lot of--half of my families might leave if this isn't passed. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, we'll go to line 37. Your line is open. Line 37, your line is open. And we will move on to line 49. Your line is open.

Hi. This is Jennifer Greppi with Parent Voices, California, and our ten chapters across the state. As cosponsors, we are in proud, strong support of AB 596. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, we'll go to line 21. Your line is open.

Hello. This is Nancy Wyatt, Public Policy Chair for California Family Child Care Network, in strong support of AB 596.

Thank you. Next, we'll go to line 31. Your line is open.

Good afternoon, Committee Members. Giovanni Zuniga, Public Policy Manager for Pathways LA, a researcher referral agency in the heart of Los Angeles. I'm calling on behalf of Pathways LA to convey our strong support for AB 596. Thank you.

Thank you. Line 37, your line is open. Line 37, do you have us on mute?

And then we'll go to line 42. Your line is open.

My name is Raquel Yoffie, calling on behalf of the California Alternative Payment Program Association or CAPPA, in support of AB 596.

Thank you. And we have no further support in queue.

Anyone in the room in opposition in at this time? Seeing none. Any opposition on the phone lines?

Thank you. If you're in opposition, you may press one and then zero. Again, that is one and then zero for opposition. And we will go to line 37. Your line is open.

Hi. Yesenia Jimenez with GRACE/End Child Poverty in California, in strong support. Sorry for missing the line.

Thank you. And we have no further opposition in queue.

All right, members of the Committee, questions or comments? Assemblymember Alanis.

Thank you, Assemblymember. Well, thank you to the author for bringing forward this bill. Obviously a point of passion for me as well, in terms of making sure that we're helping to stabilize the early childcare system at the most critical time. And I know, just wanted to share with the Committee members that part of what the women's caucus did very early on at the beginning of session was issue a letter to the Administration really focused on two areas.

One was around the critical nature of rate reform, and the second was around ensuring that we had a mixed delivery system in place to be able to support our early childcare system so absolutely fully in support of this bill. Thank you for bringing it forward.

Any other members at this time. Seeing none. Assemblymember, would you like to close?

Thank you. Members, we need an urgent fix to the childcare rate system. We need to take care of family fees that are going to be charged beginning July 1. And I am so proud to be joining with Senator Monique Limon on this particular bill. And I respectfully request your aye vote.

We have a motion by Bryan, a second by Calderon. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

The motion is due passed to the Assembly Education Committee. [Roll call]

The vote is six to zero. The bill is out. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Thank you, Members.

Next we have Assemblymember Rubio, AB 866. And you may begin when you're ready.

Thank you, Mr. Chair and Members for the opportunity to present AB 866. This measure continues the state and specifically this Committee's effort to prevent food insecurity in our most vulnerable populations. Since 2012, youth who turn 18 in foster care can opt to remain in the extended foster care up to age 21 in order to access additional support as they transition to adulthood.

Despite the support provided through extended foster care, many nonminor dependents continue to experience poor outcomes due to a variety of factors, but especially food insecurity. Over the years, the state has taken action to increase awareness of CalFresh among non minor dependents so that they have additional money to meet their food and nutritional needs. However, youth who are aware of and apply for CalFresh often face an additional barrier in the form of their foster care payments counting as income.

For youth and supervised independent living placements, this counted income can cause them to lose partial or complete eligibility to CalFresh. AB 866 remedies this by establishing a state funded food assistance program for nonminor dependents that would fill in the gap between the maximum CalFresh aid amount for their household size and the amount of CalFresh aid the use is eligible for based on their foster care related income.

This is a simple fix for a population the state is critically invested in, and I am thankful for many of the Members present here today who have tirelessly advocated to ensure the best continuum of support for our foster youth. On the phone line to testify and support are the sponsors of AB 866, Sabrina Forte with the Alliance for Children's Rights and Julie McCormick with the Children's Law Center. Thank you.

Ms. Forte, you may begin your testimony.

Afternoon Chair Jackson and Members. This is Sabrina Forte, Director of policy and impact litigation at the Alliance for Children's Rights, a proud co sponsor of AB 866. Through direct legal and social services, the Alliance for Children's Rights advocates for about 1,500 transition age youth each year.

Many of those youth are experiencing food insecurity, and when our advocates link youth to CalFresh, many of those youth learn that they are disqualified due to their income, effectively penalizing them for the foster care benefits that they receive to support their basic needs while in foster care. Those who are still eligible for CalFresh after consideration of their foster care income only receive a fraction of the maximum amount.

In practice, this means that youth are using all of their foster care benefits to pay for rent and then have little to nothing in the way of nutrition benefits to cover food for themselves. And for the quarter of transition age youth who are parenting, this means food insecurity for their own young children.

AB 866 would ameliorate these impacts by ensuring that youth and extended foster care who receive foster care benefits directly and experience a commensurate loss of CalFresh would have access to a state program that could backfill that loss. So, for example, if a youth is eligible for $160 in CalFresh based on their income. Then the state food assistance program for non minor dependents would supplement the CalFresh amount all the way up to the maximum grant level.

We thank Assemblymember Rubio for authoring this important bill and respectfully request the Committee's aye vote.

Thank you very much. Ms. McCormick on the phone line. You may begin.

Afternoon. Thank you again Chair Jackson and Committee Members. Children's Law Center of California is the largest children's lead services organization in the nation, advocating for around 30,000 children and youth in foster care in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Placer County is proud to co sponsor AB 866. We had hoped to have one of our non minor dependent clients available to speak with you directly, but he had to be at work today. So I'm going to briefly share his story with you.

Jay is 19 years old and a first year student at Cal State LA, taking five classes. He resides in a supervised independent living placement and receives a monthly rate of $1,129, which is intended to cover living costs such as rent, food and supplies. This monthly payment is barely enough to cover his rent, and for many of our clients it doesn't, especially in Los Angeles, where rent for just a room can be upwards of one $1,600.

So there is no money left over for food, clothing or other basic necessities. Because Jay's fill payment is counted as income for CalFresh purposes, he receives only $20 to $30 per month in CalFresh benefits. This is clearly not enough to provide him with food for the whole month. AB 866 would enable Jay to receive a supplement payment up to the Calfresh maximum of $280, making clearly a huge difference.

Jay has actually started working part time in a restaurant, even though he is already juggling a full college core load. But he mainly did it because by working in a restaurant, he is guaranteed a meal on the days he works. Jay's attorneys had to refer him and many of her other clients to local food banks to help them put food on their table once their meter CalFresh allotment has run out.

Unfortunately, this is a scenario we see far too often with our clients, and we are so thankful to Assembly Member Rubio for her authorship of AB 866. As we know that it will make a life changing difference to hundreds of youth in foster care. We respectfully request the Committee to aye vote.

Thank you very much. Is there any opposition witnesses? Seeing none. It's been moved. We got a second. Anyone in the hearing room in support at this time? Please state your name and affiliation.

Mr. Chairman, Members. Kathleen Van Osten, representing John Burton Advocates for Youth in support.

Kevin Aslanian. Coalition of California Welfare Rights Organization. Strong support. Thank you.

Colleen Pagter, on behalf of First Place for Youth in support.

Tiffany McCain, on behalf of California Court Appointed Special Advocates or Cal CASA, in support. Thank you.

Susanna Kniffen with Children Now in support.

Denise Choislaw, on the behalf of Esperna, in support.

Tyler Rinde on behalf of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, in support.

Thank you very much. Is there any support on the phone lines?

Thank you for your support. You may press one and then zero. We will go to line 52. Your line is open.

Sophia Hernandez with the National Association of Social Work, California Chapter. And we are in support.

Thank you. And we have no further support in queue.

Any opposition in the room at this time? Seeing none. Any opposition on the phone lines?

Thank you. If you're in opposition, you may press one and then zero. And we have no opposition in queue at this time.

All right, we'll bring it up to our Committee Members. Assemblymember Bonta.

Just wanted to thank the author for bringing forward this bill. I know that you have personal and particular passion for ensuring that we have a holistic approach to eradicating hunger. And I really appreciate the thought of carving out a place where, we in reality are creating a situation where our youth are likely not getting the support they need while they are all just barely hanging on as well. And that's not right. And so thank you for bringing this to our attention and for giving us an opportunity to support. Thank you.

Any other Members at this time? Seeing none. Assembly Member, would you like to close?

Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity. And I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Motion by Alanis, seconded by Bonta. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

The motion is due passed to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. [Roll Call]

The vote is five to zero. The bill is out.

Thank you.

Next we have Assemblymember Santiago, AB 1344. Oh, there you are.

Thanks, Mr. Chair.

You may begin when you're ready.

Thank you. First, want to accept the Committee's amendments and the hard work on you and your staff to make this a better project by aligning both reports at a time that it would make sense to do them. But very simple. What this bill tries to do is establish a state funded survivors benefit program for children who have lost their parents who are not eligible currently for the federal program, which is part of the name, but it's the old age survivors or disability program.

That's what the federal program is. Currently in California, over about 32,000 children who lost their parents during COVID. A good percentage of them may not be eligible for any federal programs, even though their parents may have worked. And I'll give you an example of some of those people. They could be undocumented immigrants. They could be incarcerated peoples because they never paid into a Social Security program, even though they've worked and served their time. It could also be farm workers, domestic workers, and the list goes on.

Who are just not eligible for a federal program. So what we want to do is establish a program in the State of California for those children who are survivors who are just not eligible for a federal program. Children could be documented or undocumented, but the reality is their parents have worked. They're just ineligible because the Federal Government has not been able to pass through comprehensive immigration reform. I respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Let's see here. It's been moved.

Second.

It's been seconded. Any opposition witnesses? Seeing none. Any support in the room? Please state your name and affiliation.

Kathy Van Osten, on behalf of John Burton Advocates, in support.

Is there any support on the phone lines?

Thank you. If you're in support, you may press one and then zero. That is one and then zero for support. We do have one. One moment while we provide their line number. We will go to line 52. Your line is open.

Sylvia Hernandez with the National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter. And we are in support for AB 1344.

Thank you. Line 71, your line is open.

Yesenia Jimenez, with GRACE/End Child Poverty in California, in strong support.

Thank you. And we have no further support in queue at this time.

Any opposition in the room at this time? Seeing none. Any opposition on the phone lines?

Thank you. If you're in opposition, you may press one and then zero. And we have no opposition in queue.

Okay, we'll go with members of the Committee. Any members of the Committee, any questions or comments at this time? Seeing none. Assembly Member, would you like to close?

Yeah. I respectfully ask for an aye vote. Thank you to the Chair and Committee Members.

Thank you very much. A motion from Calderon, seconded by Bonta. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

The motion is due pass as amended to the Assembly Judiciary Committee. [Roll call]

At this time, the bill is on call.

Thank you. Next up, Assembly Member Wicks. AB 679. And you may begin when you're ready.

Thank you. Okay. Good afternoon, Chair and Members. First, I want to accept the Committee amendments and thank the Committee and their staff for their work and consideration of this bill. As you know, all children deserve to be well nourished and placed in the best position to thrive. But underlying federal and state rules for childcare meal programs have failed to reflect California's accurate poverty level, keeping many children from accessing affordable meals and forcing childcare providers to spend excessive amounts of money to feed their children despite already operating on razor-thin margins.

Existing state statute creates an unfair reimbursement rate gap that limits family childcare providers to only 75% of the state reimbursement for meals served. This means family childcare providers, primarily black, Latina and immigrant women receive no state funding for one of every four meals they serve. Compared to how the state reimburses childcare centers and K-12 schools for meals served, family childcare providers are unfairly shortchanged.

As amended, AB 679 would allow licensed family childcare homes to receive 100% reimbursement instead of 75% for eligible meals provided to children in their care, and clarifies that family childcare homes has the same meaning as family daycare homes. I want to thank our sponsors, Nourish California and the CACFP Roundtable. Testifying with me here today in person is Kameron Mims-Jones, Policy Advocate of Nourish California. And we also have someone joining remote, which is Tonya Muhammad, CEO of Muhammad Daycare. Respectfully ask for an aye vote.

Thank you. Good afternoon. Thank you Chair Jackson and Members of the Committee. My name is Kameron Mims-Jones with Nourish California. We proudly are co-sponsoring AB 679 with our partners at the CACFP Roundtable. I want to start by thanking Assembly Member Wicks for her leadership on AB 679. This timely, impactful bill will finally ensure that daycare home providers are reimbursed more equitably by the state for the cost of meal service. All children deserve to be well-nourished and to thrive.

The state's current policy is that no child will be hungry while attending a preschool program, and that preschools are obligated to provide for the nutritional needs of children in their attendance. Even with this policy, California fails to fairly invest in nourishing all kids during their care, opting instead to penalize versus investing in providers' nutritional infrastructure, forcing home providers to absorb hundreds of millions of dollars in costs of meals to serving to the children in their care.

Existing state law creates an inequitable reimbursement gap that keeps family daycare home providers from receiving the full state reimbursement for meals they serve. As we sit here today, family daycare home providers are only reimbursed for 75% of the meals served to kids. This state reimbursement gap means family daycare home providers receive no state funding for one out of every four meals they serve. California's early childcare system has continued a legacy rooted in racism and exclusion.

The reimbursement gap codifies undervaluing and underpaying labor historically performed by Black, Brown women of immigrant status. Many family care providers face systemic barriers to economic success. Most women of color and nearly half were born outside of the US. According to a UC Berkeley early care study, family care providers' income levels are often below a thriving or even living wage. Alarmingly, while providers are responsible for feeding healthy meals to kids in their care, one-third of family childcare providers report food insecurity. AB 679 moves the state closer to ensuring more equitable childcare nutrition programs. Thank you and I'm happy to answer any questions.

Thank you. Now we'll go to Ms. Muhammad, on to the phone.

Good afternoon. Thank you Chair Jackson and Members of the Committee. My name is Mrs. Tonya Muhammad and I am a family daycare provider and daycare consultant. As we all know, the brain develops the most during the ages zero to five. Therefore, healthy, nutritious, quality meals are what we provide in our daycares, in addition to following the CACSP guidelines. As family childcare homes, we are experiencing an increase in the price of food ingredients used to prepare the healthy and nutritious meals for our daycare children.

Everything has increased except for the reimbursement rate that providers receive, and that's based on what tier you're in depending on your zip code. It's all about quality foods and ingredients for my daycare children, being that the most nutritious meals that they receive are during the hours that they are at daycare because of the parents having to work. Some parents have a peace of mind knowing that their children are being served healthy and nutritious meals while at daycare.

The cost of living in California is already high and adding inflation, the effects of COVID on our facilities and the price of food to feed the children, providers are overextended with our budgets for food. A loaf of bread is $7, fresh fruits and veggies have tripled in price, as well as eligible snacks. My food budget for daycare is four times greater than one year ago. Whether you're at Whole Foods, Costco, or the local farmers market, everything is more expensive.

Family childcare homes are not reimbursed at the same rate as center-based childcare, and that's not fair or equitable at all. We aren't reimbursed for all of our meals and snacks that we serve due to the guidelines of the CACFP. Some parents work non-traditional hours or overtime, and we can only claim two meals and one snack a day or two snacks and one meal a day. As a provider, I do appreciate the CACFP because it does offer some reimbursement. However, the rate needs to be the same as center-based, because a child fed is a meal served--no matter where the child is. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Is there any witnesses in opposition? Seeing none. Those in support in the room, please come up and state your name and affiliation.

Kathy Van Austin, representing John Burton Advocates for Youth in support.

Thank you very much. Any support on the phone lines?

Thank you. If you're in support, you may press one and then zero. We will go to line 72, your line is open.

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair. Malik Bynum with Childcare Providers United in strong support. Thank you.

Thank you. Line 42, your line is open.

Good afternoon. This is Raquel Yoffie with the California Alternative Payment Program Association in support.

Thank you. Line 21, your line is open.

Line 21, your line.

This is Nancy Wyatt with California Family Childcare Network, in strong support of AB 679.

Thank you. Next, we'll go line 73. Your line is open.

Hi, this is Samantha Marshall, Director of Programs and Policy at the CSB Roundtable, bill co-sponsor, calling in strong support.

Thank you. And we have no further support in queue.

Any opposition in the room at this time? Seeing none. Any opposition on the phone lines?

Thank you. If you're in opposition, you may press one and then zero. And we have no further opposition in queue.

Okay, we'll bring it to Members of the Committee. Assembly Member Bonta.

I just want to thank the author for bringing forward this Bill. I do know that AB 842 in 2019 by Limon and SB 1481, Becker, 2022 were very similar bills. One was vetoed by the Governor, the other got held up in an Assembly Approps. where all good things go to die. Just wanted to see if you thought that given the fact that we've now moved to a system of providing universal food for our K12 system, whether this might have a different disposition.

Well, I hope so, yes. And unclear as to why it died in Appropriations. But my hope is that this Bill being one that's really about equity and ensuring that our licensed family childcare homes have the same sort of access to resources, because for so many of them, they're like paying out of their own pocket for this. And as mentioned, they're not even getting enough food to support themselves. Right. In many ways.

And obviously, we've done a lot of work, I think, in the K-12 side and the TK-12 side in particular, which has also created other additional unintended consequences that I know are being hopefully going to be addressed with your leadership and others. But it is my hope that we'll have a different outcome this time.

Any other Committee Members at this time? Assembly Member, would you like to close.

Respectfully ask for an Aye vote.

We have a motion by Calderon, a second by Bonta. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

The motion is do passed to the Assembly Education Committee. [Roll call].

The vote is five to zero. The Bill is out. Thank you very much. Next up, we have Assembly Member Schiavo, Assembly Bill 963. And you may begin when you're ready.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair and Members. I am grateful for the opportunity to present on AB 963 to you today and happy to accept the Committee's amendments. AB 963 supports development for housing for foster youth in the transition age by establishing a new program, IBank, to leverage private funding to support new development. Nearly one in three transition-age foster youth in California experience homelessness.

Both federal and state governments have invested in trying to support those transitioning out of the system in finding permanent housing. However, the nature of foster youth rental subsidies, which are portable, has impeded private financing models into affordable housing specifically for foster youth. For decades, IBank has run the small loan guarantee program, Small Business Loan Guarantee Program, which is guaranteed over $1.7 billion in loans while only having to pay a fraction of a percent on defaults.

AB 963 looks to reproduce the success of this model. Using state investment to create confidence in the private lending market will leverage even greater amounts towards projects dedicated to foster youth and adults relying on these vouchers. With this new program, we can create more housing to make it easier for those one-in-three youth to find a place they call home.

I also want to mention the L.A. Board of Supervisors, and we have 18 organizations supporting the Bill, which I'm proud to have so much support for this Bill today. And here to testify in support also is Daniel Heimple, an L.A.-based journalist and foster care advocate, and Kenzo Soe, a former foster youth and participant in the Right Way Foundation.

Great. Thank you so much Assembly Member Schiavo and the Committee for taking the time to consider this Bill. I'm Daniel Heimple. I am thankful for this moment. In 2006, I was a graduate student of journalism at USC, where I ended up coaching an unlikely lacrosse team in South L.A.. One of my players, Chris, was like I was in high school, kind of rowdy, getting into fights and getting into trouble. And I asked him what his parents said about this, and he said, I didn't have any parents.

And he lived in a group home. And I went down to that group home and wrote a story, my first story about this issue, and ended up, that opened up my eyes to the way the system was. And about that time, the Federal Government had passed a law to extend foster care to age 21, offering states matching federal funds. Of course, this state followed with AB 12, was one of the first to implement extension of foster care to age 21.

And looking back over those 15-plus years, Chris, who I mentioned, and then another young man, John, who I mentored, experienced homelessness over this period of time. And I've really watched as a journalist running a nonprofit journalism agency, this system get better and get closer to doing what it needs to do to end this pipeline into homelessness, which I think is predictable and unacceptable. And what we're talking about here is a very simple concept. It's a loan guarantee. It sounds complex, but it's not.

It would allow IBank to facilitate guarantees to allow for deep private investment into the housing of these young people. I think that is a really low-risk, low-cost way to pump private investment into this population. And I think looking to the future beyond this subpopulation if we're going to get out of the affordable housing crisis that we face, I think that loan guarantees as a concept is something that should be looked at. I appreciate you giving us the time to present on this Bill.

I appreciate the Assemblywoman for taking this up, and I look forward to your vote. Thank you for considering.

Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Kenzo Soe. I'm originally from Cameroon, Africa. By the age of 14, I had some run-ins with the law, and that was when I entered the foster care system. I didn't have any guidance and by 16, I was still in the foster care system. And that was around the time where I got more frequent with some run-ins with the law, and my mom gave up on me at the age of 16 and I was incarcerated.

I continued to be incarcerated for about four years straight, and this is when I was incarcerated in youth authority for several years. I did several years in youth authority and I was released and I was enrolled in the housing program with the Anti-Recidivism Coalition. And while at ARC, I was enrolled in the Right Way Help Foundation Program called the Operation Emancipation, where I received job readiness training, mental health services, and housing support.

After completing Operation Emancipation, ARC and the Right Way Foundation referred me over to the NFL/L.A. Rams six-month internship where I was offered stable housing for six months for the entire season. And I was also chosen over 50 other applicants to be part of this internship, and I was recently featured on KCLA and KABC and is currently working on a follow-up interview with NFL Network.

As my internship ended, I began to look for my own apartment and had no luck due to my credit score, lack of income, and my background as an African American male. This is when the Right Way Foundation found me a studio apartment. It was for $1,500 and they subsidized $600 a month, so my rent is only $900 a month.

The Right Way Foundation used their own credit to qualify me and I believe we need more nonprofit organizations to own their own housing so that these nonprofits can develop their own units to knock down these barriers, as I ran into. Over 1,200 foster youth in L. A County emancipate annually and two foster youth become homeless daily due to housing insecurities. AB 963 will help nonprofit organizations develop their own housing specifically for our foster youth, and we can reduce homelessness in L.A. County and the State of California.

Thank you very much for your testimony. Is there any opposition witnesses at this time seeing none. Those who are in support in the room, please come up and state your name, affiliation, please?

Good afternoon, Mr. Chair, Members. Martha Guerrero, representing the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in strong support and urge your Aye vote. Thank you.

Franco Vega, Executive Director of the Right Way Foundation and co-sponsor of this Bill. Strongly supported.

Colleen Pagter on behalf of First Place for Youth, in support.

Good afternoon. John Drebinger with the California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies. CBHA in support.

Michael Rattigan on behalf of the Board of Supervisors, Santa Clara County, in support. Thank you.

Susanna Niffin with Children Now proud co-sponsors and in support.

Tyler Rinde on behalf of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, in support.

Denny Choiccelock on the behalf of Aspiranet, in support.

Corey Hashida with the Steinberg Institute, in support.

Any additional support on the phone lines at this time?

If you're in support, you may press one and then zero. That's one and then zero for support. We will go to line 52. Your line is open.

Sylvia Hernandez with the National Association of Social Workers California Chapter and we are in support.

Thank you. And we have no further support in queue.

Anyone in opposition in the room at this time? Seeing none. Any opposition on the phone lines?

Thank you. If you're in opposition, you may press one and then zero. Opposition. That is one and then zero. We have no opposition. In queue.

Now we'll turn to Members of the Committee. Assembly Member Bryan.

First, Kenzo, thank you for being here, for sharing kind of your journey to go from YA to sitting in this Committee room. That's a powerful, powerful pathway, and I think we are all better informed by your presence. To the author, thank you for this thoughtful, creative, innovative partnership Bill. Very happy to support. And if you're looking for co-authors, happy to join you in this fight. Thank you.

I'd love that. Thank you.

Okay, any other Members? Is there a motion? A second. It's been moved. It's been seconded. Madam Secretary, please call the roll. Assembly Member, where would you like to close?

Yeah, I just want to thank Kenzo and Daniel. Thank you so much for being here. And respectfully ask for your Aye vote. Thank you.

We have a motion. We have a second. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

The motion is do pass as amended, to the Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy Committee. [Roll call].

The Bill is on call for Members to cast their votes.

Thank you.

Next up, Assembly Member Wilson, AB 1154.

I don't mind banging the gavel. Thank you. Ms. Wilson. You can begin when you're ready.

Thank you. Good afternoon, Members. I am pleased to present AB 437, the mentorship checkoff in the juvenile court system. AB 11. I'm sorry. This Bill would require the court to ask the child at a status hearing whether the child would like to participate in a mentoring program and include the response in the court report.

This Bill would authorize a court to refer the child to participate in a one-on-one mentoring program through a nonprofit organization that meets specified criteria, including having experience serving foster children and youth, and has conducted appropriate screening of mentoring volunteers. The Bill would require a court that recommends or orders mentoring for foster youth coming out of the juvenile system to allow access to specified information regarding the child to a qualifying nonprofit mentoring organization. This is to facilitate and maintain a successful match with the mentor.

A well-matched mentor who may have experienced similar traumas and has shared interests with the youth can build a trusting relationship and improve their view of possibilities that can lead to a happy and productive adult life. Research continues to find that mentored youth are less likely to engage in risky behaviors such as substance abuse, skipping school, and hitting others.

Youth facing risk who have mentors are more likely to attend college, participate in sports and other extracurricular activities, and are more likely to take on leadership roles in school, and to volunteer in their communities. Having this one-on-one mentoring would be literally life-changing for the kids in the juvenile system and would help to break the cycle of reoffending, giving them a chance and an optimistic future. This is, and I stated incorrectly earlier, this is AB 1154.

And with me today are Kathy Von Austin, representing Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Megan McCann, who is a mentor to a foster youth. And Megan will be presenting online.

Kathy, you may begin.

Thank you. Kathy Van Austin, on behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters, really pleased to be here today. I just learned today that Big Brothers Big Sisters actually originated out of the court system, the child welfare system, when the court clerks noticed that there weren't positive role models for these youth. We now have 13 chapters in California and serve about 6,500 foster youth currently. And we noticed that during the pandemic, we had more children coming into the foster care system because they were losing their primary caregivers.

And one of the problems that we found was that we could not get information while we already had this information, could not get information for the mentors where these youth were placed. We already were having difficulty getting relocation information because social workers and the attorneys and the courts are not really responsible or authorized to share that information. And so that is the reason that we brought this Bill up to Sacramento. There's two reasons.

One is we want to make sure that when youth are relocated, that we can maintain that mentor relationship. Losing that relationship just reinforces the trauma for the youth and reinforces their belief that adults, no matter who they are, are not to be trusted and does a lot more damage than good. We wanted to bring this Bill forward. One, to make sure that social workers can be authorized to share information and also be authorized to share specific types of information.

We know we don't want their information shared, but just understanding whether they were abused, neglected, or abandoned can help us create much better matches. So those are the two major elements of the Bill that are very important to us. We had one recent case where we had a young lady who was moved 17 times in one year. Mentor could not, we couldn't find her, and that relationship was lost. That's an example. It's pretty extreme, but it does happen. These youth do get moved quite frequently.

So I'm sure the Assembly Member shared the statistics. We've got about 87% of the foster of the youth that we represent are BIPOC. More than half have a single parent, four more times to live in poverty, and three times more likely to have an incarcerated parent. And so that's just the general population. And we know that foster youth have additional traumas on top of that. So it is really essential that we reach these youth.

And by providing the system, we are able to facilitate and streamline that process of just getting mentors for youth who could really use these positive role models.

Thank you so much. Operator, can we go to Megan McCann on the phone lines?

Afternoon, everyone. In being a mentor, I've learned most important, my role is to be present and consistent. My mentee and I have met six years ago. Throughout that time, she has lived in multiple homes with different guardians, and consistency is not a common occurrence in her life. If you spoke with her today, you would never be able to imagine the amount of trauma she has experienced. Today, she's thriving. She's invested in school. She wants to go to college and become a surgeon.

Two years ago, her primary guardian passed away suddenly, and she went back into the foster care system. At that time, I realized how powerless I was to maintain contact with her. I only had her personal cell phone number, which could have been shut off at any moment. Big Brothers, Big Sisters had to consistently reach out to a range of individuals and work through a lot of red tape just to keep us in touch.

That was an extremely dark time in her life, and I truly can't imagine how things would have gone if I wasn't able to keep in touch with her and be there to support her. I've been one of the only consistent people in her life for the past six years, and I know that has meant a great deal to her. She has a bright future ahead of her, and I'm incredibly lucky to be a part of her journey.

Mentorship can have such a meaningful impact on any child's life and those in foster care, especially vulnerable. Anything we can do to make these mentorship relationships easier and more consistent will help us to ensure a brighter future for our youth. I hope hearing some of our story encourages you to vote in support of this Bill.

Thank you so much for sharing that. Are there any Members of the hearing room who wish to register their support for this Bill? Seeing one.

No.

Any public support on the phone lines?

Thank you. If you're in support, you may press one and then zero again. That is one and then zero for support. We will go to line 52. Your line is open.

Sylvia Hernandez with the National Association of California Chapters with Social Workers. And we are in support.

Thank you. And we have no further support in queue.

Is there any primary opposition? I didn't think so. Anybody who would like to step up and register their opposition in this room? Seeing none. Is there anybody on the phone lines in opposition?

Thank you. If you're in opposition, you may press one and then zero. That's one and then zero for opposition. We have no opposition on the phone.

Now. Turn her back to Committee Members. Any Members of the Committee? Ms. Bonta.

Just wanted to thank the author for bringing forward this Bill and appreciate the fact that mentoring, and we know the incredible power of mentoring. I think the reality is that we've continued to underinvest in mentoring programs that are equality. It's not easy to establish with a high standard of care, strong mentoring programs that withstand the test of time and that also provide the kind of interaction that would allow for sensitive information to be passed of youth to different programs.

So want to appreciate that specific aspect to having run several mentoring programs over the course of my career as well. So thank you for this Bill.

Thank you.

I would not be here if not for great mentors. And I have many mentees who are doing great things. One who was formally incarcerated as a youth, who's finishing up his law degree at Harvard. Right. And so that impact is immeasurable. Thank you for bringing this forward. We have a motion by Mr. Arambula, a second by Ms. Calderon. Madam Secretary, can we call the roll?

The motion is do passed to the Assembly Judiciary Committee. [Roll call].

Ms. Wilson, that Bill is on call.

Thank you to the Members. And this ensures no child is left behind or falls through the cracks and I appreciate your support.

Mr. Zbur, welcome. Welcome.

Thank you.

You may begin when you're ready.

Thank you all for having us at the end of a day. Mr. Chair and Committee Members, I'm proud today to present AB 369, which will uplift our former foster youth and ensure that we're fulfilling our duty to keep young people from falling through the cracks as they transition from foster care to independent adulthood. With one-in-three youth in foster care being LGBTQ+ and a disproportionate number being youth of color, this bill is near and dear to my heart.

And I want to thank our sponsors, Children Now, California Coalition for Youth and Alliance for Children's Rights, for entrusting me with this effort. If you're not familiar with it, California's Independent Living Program provides supportive services to youth who are transitioning out of the foster care system. Through the program, youth learn about money management, housing resources and how to find it, postsecondary financial aid, how to secure employment, and much more.

Under current law, youth are only eligible for this program until they're 21 years old. But without family support in many cases, young adults often need more time to build critical skills for independent adulthood, and federal law allows states to increase the eligibility to the age of 23. This bill would exercise that federal option, better equipping youth to navigate adulthood after exiting the foster care safety net.

This bill would also require the Department of Social Services to evaluate the program with the goal of ensuring that it is trauma-informed, relevant, and timely. Lastly, the bill makes a qualifying update to ensure that youth can accumulate cash savings while in foster care and remain eligible for state and county support through the program, codifying an all-county letter to this effect from the Department of Social Services.

LGBTQ youth and children of color are overrepresented in the foster care system due to greater rates of family rejection and systemic inequalities. As the analysis notes, "They continue to experience disparity at every stage of the child welfare system, as well as bleaker outcomes after they age out." So this bill is about equity. It's about increasing opportunities, it's about increasing social justice, it's about increasing housing stability for all Californians, and about the Legislature's duty to support marginalized populations under the state's care.

I ask for your aye vote at the appropriate time, and with me today to assist with technical questions is Susanna Kniffen from Children Now, and on the phone to provide primary testimony are Jasmine Marquez, ILP Program Director and former ILP participant--that's Independent Living Program--and Sabrina Forte from the Alliance for Children's Rights.

Operator, can we track down Jasmine please? Jasmine? Or Ms. Forte, can we track down either of the witnesses on the phone?

Yes, their lines are open.

Hi, good afternoon. My name is Jasmine and I am a former foster who received independent living services through the Independent Living Program known as ILP. Upon exiting ILP at the age of 21, I was at a very important and difficult time in my life. I was exiting THP-Plus and trying to find stable housing, I had just started a college for medical app and professional certificate, and I had a part time job that I hated at McDonald's.

My ILP worker had assisted me with many things during the age of 18 to 21, and she was the only supportive person I had in my life. Having this person for another two to three years would have greatly assisted my ability to navigate complex adult systems and situations. Losing these services truly saddened me and I was unsure of my future.

I struggled tremendously navigating how to budget, how to enroll in general education, transfer to a university, and applying for or finding, securing a meaningful job--all while navigating the stress that came with being an adult without a meaningful support system. Through this transition and time in my life, I struggled and failed tremendously, but always picked myself up and reached out to ILP for follow-up services.

Obtaining my bachelor's took a lot longer to complete because I was not aware of the resources available and had no one to share my successes and learning moments in my education journey. In my social work career, I have had the privilege to hold a position as an ILP case manager for three years, and I'm currently the Program Director and have obtained my master's in social work. With my personal professional experience, I fully support the need for a deep evaluation of current ILP program services and it is long overdue.

I believe as society and systems within the child welfare systems are changing, ILP should be moving forward as well. I wholeheartedly support AB 369 to extend services to the age of 23 as it will help youth navigate these domains in life with the assistance of an ILP worker.

My hope is that they can have a smoother experience than mine and continue to have support while they are navigating their life and while exiting the child welfare system. These youth deserve to have ILP services expanded as we did not have the same experiences as other folks who had healthy, loving parent dynamics, healthy environments, and positive role models or parents. ILP services is truly making a difference in the delivery of services and in the lives of youth, and they need continued support to the age of 23. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Ms. Forte.

Good afternoon Chair and Members. The Alliance for Children's Rights is pleased to co-sponsor AB 369, and I will speak very briefly to the second part of this bill. Existing law states that youth in foster care can only save up to $10,000 at any given time. Many foster youth never accumulate that much in savings, but some do, and that is something that we want to encourage.

The cost of living is high in California, and just one life crisis can set a youth back tens of thousands of dollars. Instead, historically, state law has been interpreted to exclude youth from extended foster care once they hit that $10,000 mark. Luckily, state guidance released in 2022 clearly states that a youth in foster care can save more than $10,000.

But this important policy change has not been codified in law, meaning that busy case workers that are not aware of the policy change still cite the $10,000 savings cap when advising foster youth on how much to save. And forms and documents that are regularly used in case management of transition-age foster youth also refer to the $10,000 savings cap.

So AB 369 would simply codify state guidance, align statute with policy, and ensure greater consistency and implementation so that youth transitioning to adulthood from foster care can have the greatest financial safety net possible. Thank you and we respectfully request the committee's aye vote.

Thank you so much, Ms. Forte. Are there any witnesses here in the hearing room who would like to register their support?

Good afternoon. Kim Lewis, representing the California Coalition for Youth. Proud to be a co-sponsor on the bill. Thank you.

Tyler Rinde. On behalf of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, in support.

Colleen Pagter. On behalf of First Place for Youth in support.

Craig Pulsipher. On behalf of Equality California, in strong support.

... On behalf of Aspiranet, in support.

Thank you. Operator, can we go to the phone line? Is there anybody on the phone lines who would like to register their support?

If you're in support, you may press one and then zero. Again, that is one and then zero if you're in support. We will go to line 52. Your line is open.

Sylvia Hernandez, with the National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter. And we are in support.

Thank you. And we have no further support in queue.

Beautiful. Are there any primary witnesses in opposition? Seeing none. Anybody in the hearing room who would like to register their opposition? Seeing none. Operator, is there anybody on the phone lines who would like to register their opposition?

Thank you. If you're in opposition, you may press one and then zero. It's one and then zero for any opposition. We have no opposition in queue.

Beautiful. Turn it back to Committee Members. Any thoughts, comments, concerns, questions?

Absolutely no concerns. Very helpful. Concerns? Very helpful that you're moving forward with this bill, and I move the bill.

Motion by Ms. Bonta. Do we have a second? Second by Ms. Sanchez. Mr. Zbur, would you like to close?

I just want to thank Jasmine Marquez and Sabrina, as well as Susanna for being here, and my staff and the bill sponsors today, and respectfully ask for your aye vote.

Thank you. Madam Secretary, can we call the roll?

The motion is do pass to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Jackson. Sanchez. Aye. Alanis. Arambula. Bonta. Aye. Bryan. Aye. Calderon. Aye. Garcia.

Assembly Member Zbur, your bill is on call. We will list the call during the hearing to allow absent Members to vote.

Thank you, everyone.

AB 1352.

Good afternoon, Chair and Members. I'm pleased to present AB 1352, a childcare pilot expansion bill. In 2006, we established the framework for the individualized county childcare pilot plans to help high-cost counties overcome regulatory barriers to address childcare needs in their local communities and to explore solutions to the state's one-size-fits-all childcare subsidy system. Today, 11 counties across the State of California are currently participating in these childcare pilot plans with regulatory flexibilities tailored to the unique needs of their communities.

Some of the pilot counties include Alameda, Fresno, Santa Clara, San Diego and Santa Cruz, just to name a few. The pilots have increased access to childcare and stability for families in many ways, including allowing families to stay in care for longer when their income increases, providing the security of extended eligibility timeframes, and allowing increased flexibilities for the most vulnerable families who are homeless, seeking housing, or seeking employment.

As an example of the benefit these pilot programs provide, the Alameda County Childcare program allows childcare providers to offer additional hours of care to children whose parents are experiencing homelessness. Without this flexibility, providers would only be allowed to offer part-time subsidized childcare to families experiencing homelessness. With only part-time care, parents have less opportunity to seek employment, seek housing or work to try to get their families back on their feet.

Over the years, the pilots have created a space for ongoing collaboration, sustainability and opportunity for counties to partner with state agencies who administer childcare. Areas where these pilots have operated in have seen increased workforce stability, continuity of care for children, and increased access for working families.

The pilots are set to expire this summer in July of 2023, during an absolutely critical time coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic and as many childcare providers experience additional instability because of our implementation of TK. AB 1352 builds on the success of the pilots by extending the sunset date of the childcare pilot programs to July 1, 2025, and it gives authority to the Department of Education and the Department of Social Services to expand participation in these flexible childcare programs to all 58 counties.

Ultimately, this bill will increase access to childcare by allowing the thoughtful implementation of evidence-based flexibilities, which allow providers to maximize services to children and families. With me today to testify in support of this bill are Mary Ann Dewan, from the Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools and Dr. Matilda Soria, Senior Director of Early Care and Education at the Office of Fresno County Superintendent of Schools. I believe they are online.

Assembly Member, your first witness. Operator, can you please put Dr. Mary Ann Dewan on the phone?

Yes, their line is open.

Hello. I'm Dr. Mary Ann Dewan, Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools. We are pleased to sponsor Assembly Bill 1352 in partnership with the California Childcare Coordinators Association and the other childcare pilot counties. My deep appreciation to Assembly Member Bonta for bringing forward this important bill that would allow the state to continue the childcare pilot, which has successfully helped to increase access to childcare services and adequate wages for the last decade.

The Santa Clara pilot has allowed childcare providers in our county to serve an additional 280 children in 2019 and an additional 700 children in 2020. It gave providers flexibility to augment wages for childcare staff and expanded eligibility for subsidized childcare to families who were impacted by the high cost of living in our county. In fact, the pilots have proven so successful that most of the flexibilities trialed in the pilot counties have been expanded statewide.

The childcare pilots created space for ongoing collaboration and innovation between the counties and the state agencies. They granted state agencies the authority to authorize regulatory flexibility when there was demonstrated need. Without childcare pilots, this collaborative space will disappear and the state agencies will no longer have the same discretion to explore innovative solutions to barriers that prevent children, families and providers from receiving and providing continuous, high quality care.

In light of UPK implementation and the emphasis on supporting the mixed delivery system, now would be a particularly inopportune time to end this kind of creative collaboration. Rather than eliminating the pilots, this bill would expand them to allow all counties to participate in the pilot process and access new flexibilities that would help them maximize childcare services. This approach would maintain the successful county-state collaboration established by the pilot while also increasing equity by allowing children and families in all counties to benefit. I urge you to join the Santa Clara County Office of Education in supporting AB 1352 and respectfully request your aye vote. Thank you.

Assembly Member, your next witness.

Good afternoon, Members of the Committee. My name is Dr. Matilda Soria and I'm representing the Office of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools. Fresno is one of the 11 counties that have individualized childcare subsidy pilots, which were actually originally established by a Member of this Committee, Assembly Member Dr. Joaquin Arambula. In Fresno County, the pilot flexibility have created greater workforce stability, increased wages for staff, increased continuity of care for children, and supported working families.

A recent study on the 11 childcare pilots found that 94% of pilots reported increased ability to meet families childcare needs, 91% of pilots reported increased family stability, and 84% of pilots reported greater ability to earn contracts and serve more children. As one Fresno County childcare provider stated, "The Fresno County pilot reduced administrative burden, and children remain in our program for two years or more instead of one year due to changes in family circumstances.

Additionally, it has provided families with continuity of care for two years, regardless of family changes, and creates stability for our youngest and most vulnerable children by providing consistent care and learning opportunities." The children and families in our county have greatly benefited from the opportunity to work closely with the state agencies to create and implement pilot flexibilities. And we're supporting this bill because we believe that all counties should have the same opportunities to maximize childcare services. Further, this bill would actually save costs.

Currently, the state agencies engage in 11 separate pilot negotiations and processes. This bill would consolidate the pilot process into a single subcommitee, reducing staff time and resulting in a cost savings for both state agencies. I urge you to join the office of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools and the Fresno County Childcare and Development Local Planning Council in supporting AB 1352. I respectfully request your aye vote. Thank you.

Are there any opposition witnesses at this time? Seeing none. Support in the room, please come up and state your name and affiliation, please.

Lucy Salcido Carter with the Alameda County Office of Ed, in support.

Is there any support on the phone lines at this time?

Thank you. If you're in support, you may press one and then zero. Again, that is one and then zero for support. And we do have a few queuing up. One moment, please. Again, we are in support. We will go to line--one moment here. Line 80, your line is open. Please go ahead.

Good afternoon, this is Raquel Yoffie with the California Alternative Payment Program Association in support.

Thank you. Next, we'll go to line 78. Your line is open.

Hi, this is Sarah Kinahan with the San Mateo County Childcare Partnership Council in support.

Thank you. Line 79, your line is open.

This is Leah Catching on behalf of the Marin County Childcare Commission in support of AB 1352.

Thank you. Next, we'll go to line 28. Your line is open.

Graham Dobson from the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood on behalf of the City and County of San Francisco in support.

Thank you. Next in the lineup, 54, your line is open.

... with the Alameda County Early Care and Education Planning Council in support of AB 1352.

Thank you. And we have no further support in queue at this time.

Any opposition in the room? Please, come on up. Seeing none, any opposition on the phone lines?

Thank you. If you're in opposition, you may press one and then zero. Again, that is 1 and then 0 for any opposition. We have no opposition in queue.

Now we will bring it up to Committee Members. Are there any comments, questions or comments? Seeing none. Assembly Member, would you like to close?

Thank you Chair and Members, I respectfully request your aye vote.

We have a motion by Calderon, a second by Bryan. Madam Secretary, please call the roll.

The motion is do pass to the Assembly Education Committee. Jackson. Aye. Sanchez. Aye. Alanis. Arambula. Bonta. Aye. Bryan. Aye. Calderon. Aye. Garcia. Aye.

The vote is 6-0. The bill is out.

Thank you.

Thank you. Now we'll be moving on to add-ons. I would encourage any Members of the Committee who need to add on to please make their way back to the Committee room. At this time we'll have--Madam Secretary, let's open the roll so Members can add on.

That Members can add on.

On the consent calendar. [Roll call]. Current vote seven to zero. File item two, AB 555. Current vote is six to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote, seven to zero. File item three, AB 1536. Current vote, four to one. [Roll call]. Current vote, five to one. File item four, AB 435. Current vote, six to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote, seven to zero.

File item six, AB 867. Current vote, six to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote, seven to zero. File item seven, AB 596. Current vote, six to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote, seven to zero. File item 10, AB 866. Current vote, five to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote, six to zero. File item 11, AB 1344. Current vote, four to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote five to zero. I'm sorry. Current vote, five to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote, six to zero.

File item 12, AB 963. Current vote, four to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote, seven to zero. File item 13, AB 525. Current vote, six to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote, eight to zero. File item 14, AB 679. Current vote, five to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote, seven to zero. File item 15, AB 1154. Current vote, three to zero. [Roll call].

Current vote, seven to zero. File item 16, AB 369. Current vote, four to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote, seven to zero. On the consent calendar. [Roll call]. Final vote on the consent calendar, eight to zero. File item one, AB 1352. Current vote, six to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote, zeven to zero. File item two, AB 55. Current vote, seven to zero.[Roll call]. final vote, eight to zero. File item three, AB 1536. Current vote, five to one. [Roll call]. Final vote, six to one. File item four, AB 435. Current vote, seven to zero. [Roll call]. Final vote, eight to zero.

File item six, AB 867. Current vote, seven to zero. [Roll call]. Final vote, eight to zero. File item seven, AB 596. Current vote, seven to zero. [Roll call]. Final vote, eight to zero. File item 10, AB 866. Current vote, six to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote, seven to zero. File item 11, AB 1344. Current vote, six to zero. [Roll call]. Current vote, seven to zero.

All right. The business before the Assembly Human Services Committee is now complete. The hearing is now adjourned.