IMAGINE 2024: Priorities to End Child Poverty

The End Child Poverty CA Coalition urges the Legislature to reject cuts that harm California’s most vulnerable communities. Instead, we urge leaders to support revenues and investments that will lift all children and families out of poverty.

Our 170+ End Child Poverty CA partners and allies are stronger than ever in 2024! We IMAGINE a future where all our children are nourished, respected, secure, valued & FREE. 

California is blessed with abundance. We can use our wealth to back up our values and end child poverty. We reject cuts to programs that support our families. We’re here to move #ForwardTogether #NoGoingBack.

Download the ECPCA IMAGINE 2024 Policy Priorities One-Pager for Legislative Visits.

Safety Net – We are secure

• ReImagine CalWORKs to be family-centered, anti-racist, and provide real pathways out of poverty (Budget)
• End poverty in CalWORKs & SSI/SSP (Budget)
• Child support: full pass-through for current CalWORKs families, and end collection of child support debt (Budget)
• Foster youth: maintain robust investments that support the critical needs of foster youth (Budget)

Child Care – We are respected

• Remove the “pause” and meet the Governor’s promise of 200,000 child care slots by 2026-27
• Fully implement a single-rate structure to pay providers the true cost of child care (AB 596 Asm. Reyes; AB 596, Sen. Limon; AB 380, Budget)
• CA Budget: Support Equitable Access to All ECE options that meet families’ needs

Hunger – We are nourished

• Provide Food 4 All Californians (SB 245 Sen. Hurtado; AB 311, Asm. Santiago)
• End summer hunger for children and families (Budget)
• CalFresh: Statewide minimum $50 benefit (Sen. Menjivar, Budget)

Strong Communities & Tax Credits – We are valued

• Create a Safety Net For All: wage replacement for undocumented workers (Asm. Durazo; SB 227, Budget)
• Ensure and strengthen continuous coverage for children and families enrolled in Medi-Cal (Asm. Boerner; Budget)
• Period equity now (Sen. Menjivar; SB 953)
• Diaper need: fulfill unmet need (Asm. Ortega)

Keeping Families Whole – We are free

• Bolster It Takes A Village place-based anti-poverty networks (Asm. Bonta & Asm. Jackson; Budget)
• Maintain $20M in VITA free tax preparation assistance (Budget)
• Plan for permanent statewide Guaranteed Income (Asm. Friedman)