POLICY

We educate policymakers, community leaders and stakeholders on strategies that help low- and middle-income Californians climb the economic ladder, and break the cycle of poverty that plagues over 9 million residents (24%) across the state. We advance state and federal legislation, based on our 5 policy principles:

2017 Legislative Agenda

AB 225 (Caballero) Expands CalEITC: to increase the number of Californians earning a minimum wage that will qualify for CalEITC and adjusts the CalEITC credit based on minimum wage adjustments. STATUS: Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

AB 75 (Steinorth) CalEITC for Self-Employed & Making the Credit Permanent: allows certain self-employed workers to qualify for the CalEITC and would make the credit permanent. STATUS: Two-Year bill

AB 1010 (Ting) Expanding the California Earned Income Tax Credit: CalEITC would be expanded to include all households currently eligible for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit by increasing the income eligibility threshold and including earnings from self-employment. STATUS: In committee: Held under submission.

AB 34 (Nazarian) Children’s Savings Accounts: establishes a universal, at-birth opt-out, statewide 529 children’s savings account program. This will support California’s children and families in foster ing a college-bound identity and practicing education-related financial planning. STATUS: Held in Assembly Appropriations

SB 2 (Atkins) Home and Jobs Act:  creates an ongoing funding source to support affordable homeownership, local government needs and affordable housing needs of farmworkers by instating a $75 document recording fee on real estate transactions, excluding property sales and capped at $225. STATUS: Signed by Gov on 9/29/17

SB 190 (Mitchell) Ending Juvenile and Administrative Fees: ends the harmful, unlawful, and costly assessment and collection of administrative fees against families with youth in the juvenile justice system. If enacted, youth will still be accountable to victims through the payment of restitution and to society by court-ordered sanctions. STATUS: Signed by Gov on 10/11/2017

SB 298 (Wieckowski) Enforcement of Money Judgements: would exempt from a levy money in a judgment debtor’s deposit account in an amount equal to or less than $2,250, unless the levy would satisfy a judgment for wages owed, child support, or spousal support. The bill would require a levy against a judgment debtor’s deposit account to include a description of these requirements. STATUS: Ordered to third reading

SB 10 (Hertzberg) Bail Pretrial Release: ensures that people accused of misdemeanor offenses are not held in pretrial detention simply because of their inability to afford money bail unless the court makes an additional finding on the record that there is no condition or combination of conditions that would reasonably ensure public safety. STATUS: Assembly Appropriations

AB 1109 (Kalra) Safe Consumer Lending: caps APRs at 24% for all consumer loans of $2,500 to $10,000 and covers both unsecured and secured consumer loans. Putting a limit on APRs would level the playing field for lenders that are providing access to safe and affordable loans. STATUS: Two-year bill

AB 227 (Mayes) CalWORKs education grant: provides a supplemental education incentive grant when a CalWORKs recipient reaches an educational milestone. STATUS: Senate Human Services Committee – Two Year Bill

Click here for a CABC Letter to Expand CalEITC Reach and Impact.