AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY SEPTEMBER 2, 2025

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

96

CHAPTER 459

Statutes of 2025

[ Approved by Governor October 7, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 7, 2025. ]

Introduced by Senator Limón

February 21, 2025

An act to amend Section 10236 of, and to add Section 10236.5 to, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to childcare.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, requires the State Department of Social Services to administer childcare and development programs, including, among others, migrant childcare and development programs. Existing law, for purposes of migrant childcare and development programs, defines a “migrant agricultural worker family” as a family that has earned at least 50% of its total gross income from employment in fishing, agriculture, or agriculturally related work during the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of application for childcare and development services. Existing law requires the children of these families to be enrolled in child development programs on the basis of specified priorities, including priority to children whose families move from place to place.

This bill would instead define a “migrant agricultural worker family” as a family with at least one individual who has earned at least 40% of their total gross income from employment in fishing, agriculture, or agriculturally related work during the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of application for childcare and development services. For the purpose of enrollment in migrant child care and development programs, the bill would require the department to ensure that the self certification of income be consistent with other child care and development programs under the act.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 10236 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:

10236.

(a) For the purpose of this chapter, a “migrant agricultural worker family” means a family with at least one individual who has earned at least 40 percent of their total gross income from employment in fishing, agriculture, or agriculturally related work during the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of application for childcare and development services.

(b) Children of migrant agricultural worker families shall be enrolled in childcare and development programs on the basis of the following priorities:

(1) The family moves from place to place.

(2) The family has qualified under paragraph (1) within the past five years and is currently dependent for its income on agricultural employment, but is currently settled near agricultural areas.

(3) The family resides in a rural agricultural area and is dependent upon seasonal agricultural work.

(4) Eligibility and priority for services for the federally funded Migrant Child Development Program shall be in accordance with the applicable federal regulations.

SEC. 2.

Section 10236.5 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

10236.5.

For the purpose of enrollment in migrant child care and development programs, the department shall ensure that the self certification of income shall be consistent with other child care and development programs under this part.