AB 135 Summary

• CalWORKs Enhancements: Increases maximum aid payments by 5.3% (October 2021), raises earned income disregard to $450, extends parental time limits from 48 to 60 months, and expands pregnancy-related assistance.

• Child Support & Family Services: Authorizes cease of enforcement for uncollectible state-owed arrearages (January 2023), allows electronic signatures, distributes collections to families first per federal law, and extends child support quality assurance incentive suspension.

• In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS): Eliminates 7% service hour reduction, expands eligibility to state-only Medi-Cal recipients, modifies EVV location tracking requirements, and establishes mediation/factfinding process for wage disputes.

• CalFresh & Food Assistance: Develops simplified applications for elderly/disabled individuals, allows telephone interviews/signatures, extends Restaurant Meals Program, implements limits on error recovery claims (24-month lookback), and creates California Food Assistance Program for undocumented immigrants.

• Adult & Elder Protection: Lowers elder definition from 65 to 60 years old, establishes Long-Term Care Patient Representative Program, expands Home Safe Program for housing assistance, and increases mandated reporters including IHSS agencies.