March 31, 2022
California Federation of Republican Women
Janet Price, President
Submitted by the CFRW Legislative Analyst Committee
Karen Contreras, Gretchen Cox, Elaine Freeman,
Theresa Speake, and Cheryl Sullivan
Please share the following information with your club newsletters/websites! Comments/Questions?
E-mail: legislativeanalysts@cfrw.org
AB-2847 – Unemployment: Excluded Workers Pilot Program
Existing law prohibits payment of unemployment compensation benefits for services performed by a person who is not a citizen or national of the United States unless that person is an individual who was lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time the services were performed, was lawfully present for purposes of performing the services, or was permanently residing in the United States under color of law at the time the services were performed, as specified.
This bill would establish, until January 1, 2025, the Excluded Workers Pilot Program, to be administered by the Labor and Workforce Development Agency, for the purpose of providing income assistance to excluded workers (illegal aliens) who are not eligible for the state or federal benefits administered by the Employment Development Department and who are unemployed.
The bill would make individuals eligible to receive $300 per week for each week of unemployment occurring between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, if the Secretary of Labor Workforce Development makes certain findings, as defined and specified. The bill would appropriate $690,000,000 from the General Fund to the agency for purposes of carrying out, implementing and administering the program.
The bill would require the agency, on or before 8/1/24 to submit a report to the Governor and specific committees that makes recommendations for establishing a permanent unemployment insurance benefit program for “workers” excluded from the unemployment insurance system based on their immigration status. Why January 1, 2023, because it will be after the November elections and this will not become a political issue? We should make it an issue.
SB-854 – Hope, Opportunity, Perseverance, and Empowerment (HOPE) for Children Act of 2022
This bill, subject to an appropriation by the Legislature or a provision of federal or private funds, establishes the HOPE Account Program to be administered by the State Treasurer to provide eligible children, defined as minor California residents who are dependents or wards under the jurisdiction of juvenile court in foster care placement for at least 12 months, or who have a parent or guardian who died due to COVID and meet specified family household income limit, with a trust fund account specified initial deposits and unspecified initial deposits and unspecified annual deposits.
The bill would authorize a program enrollee to, on or after their 18th birthday, withdraw or transfer funds from their trust fund account. The bill would require the State Treasurer to maintain a publicly available internet website where people may apply for the HOPE Account Program and program enrollees may have password-protected online access to view information about the trust fund account’s growth and value, among other things. The bill would require, no later than 3/1/23, the California Health and Human Services Agency to submit a report to the Legislature that identifies the authority necessary to expand the HOPE Account Program to include all children born into low-income circumstances and assesses the funding to do that.
The bill would require the State Department of Social Services to issue guidance to county human services agencies directing them to inform a parent or guardian of the HOPE Account Program if a child in the household is under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court or the assistance unit is receiving Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment (Kin-GAP) benefits or the county becomes aware that a parent in the CalWORKS assistance unit or CalFresh household has died due to COVID.
The bill would, to the extent permitted by federal law, prohibit funds deposited and investment returns accrued in a HOPE trust fund account from being considered as income or assets when determining eligibility and benefit amount for any means-tested program until an eligible child reaches 18 or 21.
For further information on any of the bills mentioned here, click the Bill # in the email. Or you can CLICK HERE and simply enter the bill # or keywords where designated.
Find/contact your local Legislators, click HERE to inquire about or let them know your opinion about bills or issues.
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