CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR SIGNS $7.6 BILLION STIMULUS PACKAGE OF BILLS
FEBRUARY 23, 2021 - STATE CAPITOL UPDATE
GOVERNOR SIGNS $7.6 BILLION STIMULUS PACKAGE OF BILLS - INCLUDES $600 ONE-TIME GRANT PAYMENTS TO PEOPLE ON SSI/SSP, CalWORKs, CASH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR IMMIGRANTS (CAPI)
Bills Go Into Effect Immediately But Timing of When One-Time Grant Payments to SSI/SSP, CalWORKS, CAPI Recipients Go Out Is Being Worked Out Including Federal Officials
Package Includes $600 One-Time Tax Credits/Refunds to Eligible Low-Income Californians - Aid also to California Businesses
California Legislature Passed Economic Package of Bills as Part of Governor's "Early Budget" Immediate Action Proposals Ahead of the 2021-2022 State Budget
Action Later this Week on $2 Billion Bill Help to California Businesses
Early Action Budget Proposal to Re-Open California Schools Still Pending Final Deal
SACRAMENTO, CA [BY MARTY OMOTO, CDCAN LAST UPDATED 02/23/2021 11:35 AM PACIFIC TIME] -Governor Gavin Newsom, as expected, signed a $7.6 billion package of economic "Early Budget" action bills, late this morning, that includes $600 one-time grant payments to people on SSI/SSP (Supplemental Security Income/State Supplemental Payment program), CalWORKS, and the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI).
According to the Governor's office last week, combined, the economic package of bills will provide $600 in one-time payments and grants would go to a total of 5.7 million eligible low-income Californians.
The $600 payments and grants to Californians would be in addition to whatever payments may be coming from the Biden federal COVID-19 Relief bill that is pending in the US Congress and is in addition to the $600 payments in the previous federal COVID-19 relief bill passed by Congress and signed into law in December.
The one-time grant payments to SSI/SSP recipients will help hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities (including developmental), people who are blind, deaf, and seniors who are eligible for that program - in addition to those on CalWORKS or receiving state cash benefits under the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) program.
California small businesses that have been hit hard by the pandemic will be able to apply for a share of $2 billion in grants.
The California Legislature passed the package of bills yesterday (February 22nd) and sent the bills immediately to the Governor. The Assembly Budget Committee heard the package of bills in an informational hearing yesterday ahead of the final action by the Assembly and State Senate. Last week on Thursday, the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee heard and passed out of committee the identical package of bills
The package, according to the Governor's office in a statement released today (February 23rd), builds on the initiatives in the Governor’s January state budget proposal to provide cash relief to lower-income Californians, increase aid to small businesses, and provide license renewal fee waivers to businesses impacted by the pandemic. In addition to these measures, today’s action will commit additional resources for critical child care services and fund emergency financial aid for community college students.
