End Child Poverty California’s 2026 IMAGINE priorities focus on reimagining public systems so they work together to meet the whole needs of children and families, rather than operating in silos. Emphasizing equity, prevention, and community-driven solutions; we aim to reduce child poverty by addressing root causes like housing instability, access to health care, education, and economic opportunity.

We Are Secure: Dismantling Poverty by Design

Raise Progressive Revenues to Fight Federal Cuts and Inequality: California must not balance the budget on the backs of children and families. AB 1790 (Asm. Damon Connolly, Marin, Sonoma) eliminates a billion dollar Corporate Tax loophole called the waters edge tax break. Sponsor: SEIU CA Co-Sponsor: ECPCA, Parent Voices CA

Reimagine CalWORKs:AB 461 (Asm. Patrick Ahrens, Silicon Valley) will end the CalWORKs sanction on truancy. Sponsor: ECPCA, SEIU CA, Western Center on Law and Poverty. Co-Sponsor: ReIMAGINE CalWorks Coalition.

Reimagine CalWORKs: Repeal the immunization sanction under CalWORKs for children who are not required to be enrolled in school to be immunized. Sponsor: ECPCA, SEIU CA, Western Center on Law and Poverty. Co-Sponsor: ReIMAGINE CalWorks Coalition.

Emergency Child Care Bridge Program: AB 673 (Asm. Dr. Corey Jackson, Moreno Valley) allows navigators to submit referrals for eligible foster children to county welfare agencies so the program is used by those who need it.

We Are Nourished: No One Goes Hungry

Food4All Budget Ask: Protect the expansion of the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP) for Californians ages 55 and older, regardless of immigration status, and restore eligibility for 72,000 humanitarian immigrants who are losing Calfresh due to HR 1. AB 1049 (Asm. Celeste Rodriguez, San Ferdando Valley, Central Los Angeles) removes Sponsor Deeming from the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Sponsors: Nourish California, California Immigrant Policy Center.

California Antihunger Response and Employment Training Act of 2026 (CARET): AB 2299 (Asm. Calderon (bill & budget)
Sen. Richardson (budget) is a state Funded Program for ABAWDs due to HR 1 time limit rules. Fight federal cuts to CalFresh targeting veterans, seniors, unhoused people, former foster youth, and families with children ages 13+.

Fight Child Hunger via SUN Bucks: SB 411 (Sen. Sasha Pérez, Los Angeles and San Bernardino County) puts kids first by investing in an online statewide SUN Bucks application to ensure equitable access to food for millions of children while bringing in critical federal resources home to our communities. Sponsor: ECPCA, SEIU CA, California Association of Food Banks.

CalFood: Power California food banks and partner agencies to buy locally grown food and stand with families facing the combined harms of HR 1 and high cost of living. (Sen. Hurtado Central Valley / Asm. Nguyen Sacramento ). Sponsor: California Association of Food Banks.

SB 961 (Ashby): Many students are unaware that they are eligible for CalFresh. Among students identified as food insecure who were aware of CalFresh, more than 50% did not apply because they believed they were ineligible as students, while another quarter did not apply because they did not know how to apply.

This gap in knowledge further exacerbates food insecurity among college students. Providing students with a “warm handoff” to staff who can help determine eligibility improves access to essential food assistance. Additionally, California colleges lack a standardized process for submitting programs to be designated as a Local Program that Increases Employability—a common exemption that allows students who would otherwise be categorically excluded to access CalFresh. This lack of standardization limits food access for students, even when they are enrolled in degree programs that meet the eligibility criteria. Sponsors: California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy, Alliance for a Better Community, Center for Healthy Communities, Junior Leagues of California State Public Affairs Committee, Michelson Center for Public Policy, NextGen California, Southern California College Attainment Network, University of California Office of the President, University of California Student Association. Co-Sponsor: Young Invincibles.

We Are Respected: Dignity, Fair Pay, Worker Justice

High-Quality Financial Coaching for CalWORKs: Advance economic justice and help more than 160,000 parents each year move from survival to lasting economic mobility through high-quality financial coaching.

CA Sensitive Data Privacy Act: AB 1542 (Asm. Christopher Ward, San Diego County) ensures data protection for our communities by banning businesses from selling or sharing sensitive personal information to a third party.

Build on 200,000 Child Care Slots: Keep and build on the state’s promise of 200,000 child care slots by 2026–2027.

Child Care Cost-Based Rate Structure: Ensure the state adopts a fair methodology that truly meets the intent of the legislation passed nearly 5 years ago to fund a full-cost-of-care rate.

Opportunity 4 All: AB 713 (Asm. José Luis Solache, Jr., Southeastern Los Angeles County) Provide equal access to employment opportunities for all students, regardless of immigration status, at University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges campuses.

We Are Valued: Every Family Belongs

AB 1969 (Asm. Mia Bonta, Oakland, Alameda, and Emeryville.): For the Next Generation (It Takes a Village 3.0) will expand and support existing anti-poverty, place-based initiatives across the state. Sponsors: End Child Poverty CA & CA C2C Coalition.

Health 4 All: Restore full-scope Medi-Cal for all immigrant Californians. Protect against state-sanctioned premiums, freezes, and proposed work requirements on immigrants that mirror harsh federal work requirements.

Protect In Home Supportive Services (IHSS): Reject proposed cuts to IHSS that shift millions in costs to counties, eliminating the Backup Provider System, and ending temporary IHSS coverage for people who lose Medi-Cal.

We Are Free: Economic & Racial Justice to Dismantle the Racial Wealth Gap

AB 1690 (Asm. Patrick Ahrens, Santa Clara): Young Child Tax Credit expansion. Sponsor: Prosper CA Coalition

Invest an additional $5 million (for $15 million in total) in Free Tax Prep Assistance, Education, & Outreach Grant Funding: Protect VITA free tax prep, which helps Californians file their taxes through culturally-competent, community-based organizations. (Asm. Mark González, Los Angeles County). Sponsor: Prosper CA Coalition.

Remove Barriers to Work for Foster Youth Peer Support Specialists: AB 2126 (Elhawary) streamlines the process for applicants in places such as short-term residential therapeutic programs, group homes, and community treatment facilities. Sponsors: The Children’s Partnership (TCP), California Alliance of Child and Family Services, County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA), Alliance of Boys and Men of Color (ABMoC).

End Endless Youth Probation 2.0: AB 1886 (Sade Elhawary, Los Angeles) ensures foster youth in out-of-home placements receive regular, mandatory review timelines and clear discharge processes to prevent indefinite supervision and support successful reentry. Sponsors: Alliance for Boys and Men of Color; California Alliance for Youth and Community Justice; Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice; California Youth Connection; Fresh Lifelines for Youth; National Center for Youth Law; Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition; W. Haywood Burns Institute; Western Center on Law & Poverty.

Jails-to-Jobs (J2J) Pilot Initiative for Pre-trial Proceedings (Asm. Tina McKinnor, Los Angeles): jails to jobs aims to connect people eligible for pretrial release or diversion for low-level, non-violent felonies with job training and behavioral health supports. Sponsors: Vera Institute of Justice, NextGen Policy, Michelson Center for Public Policy.

AB 2125 (Asm. Celeste Rodriguez Los Angeles County) Removes professional license/certificate suspensions for non-custodial parents with outstanding child support debt and income under 70% Area Median Income. Sponsor: Truth and Justice in Child Support.