CA AB1653

Requires the State Department of Social Services to develop a standard, statewide notice informing all CalWORKs applicants and recipients that abuse victims have the right to request a waiver of program requirements.

Expands county obligations to waive CalWORKs program requirements for applicants and recipients who are past or present victims of abuse when the requirement would encourage return to the abuser or be detrimental to the individual or their family.

Mandates counties provide the abuse waiver notice orally and in writing in the person's primary language at application, during welfare-to-work planning, at eligibility redetermination, and when sanctions are issued or abuse is disclosed.

Requires the statewide notice to include examples of waivable requirements, county-specific instructions, local domestic abuse resources, confidentiality information, a definition of abuse, and information about tailoring welfare-to-work plans for abuse victims.

Clarifies that applicants and recipients are not required to disclose abuse status to be eligible for aid and prohibits counties from using delayed disclosure as a basis to question credibility or prejudice subsequent waiver requests.