Senate BillChaptered/SignedWelfare and Institutions
SB 778: Migrant childcare and development programs.
What SB 778 does, verified December 7, 2025
The bill aims to amend childcare and development programs, specifically migrant childcare and development programs. A "migrant agricultural worker family" is redefined as a family where at least one individual earns 40% of their total gross income from fishing, agriculture, or agriculturally related work. This change would allow more families to be eligible for these programs. The bill requires the department to ensure consistency in self-certification of income for migrant child care and development programs. This would simplify the enrollment process and provide more opportunities for eligible families.
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Last action: Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 459, Statutes of 2025. (2025-10-07)Alert me
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| Oct. 07, 2025 | Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 459, Statutes of 2025. |
| Oct. 07, 2025 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep. 17, 2025 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 2 p.m. |
| Sep. 09, 2025 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 34. Noes 3. Page 2718.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Sep. 08, 2025 | Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 3009.) Ordered to the Senate. |
Latest bill textChaptered version, October 7, 2025 · 497 words
Senate Bill No. 778
CHAPTER 459
An act to amend Section 10236 of, and to add Section 10236.5 to, the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to childcare.
[ Approved by Governor October 07, 2025. Filed with Secretary of State October 07, 2025. ]
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 778, Limón. Migrant childcare and development programs.
Existing law, the Child Care and Development Services Act, requires the State Department of Social Services to administer childcare and development programs, including, among others, migrant childcare and development programs. Existing law, for purposes of migrant childcare and development programs, defines a “migrant agricultural worker family” as a family that has earned at least 50% of its total gross income from employment in fishing, agriculture, or agriculturally related work during the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of application for childcare and development services. Existing law requires the children of these families to be enrolled in child development programs on the basis of specified priorities, including priority to children whose families move from place to place.
This bill would instead define a “migrant agricultural worker family” as a family with at least one individual who has earned at least 40% of their total gross income from employment in fishing, agriculture, or agriculturally related work during the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of application for childcare and development services. For the purpose of enrollment in migrant child care and development programs, the bill would require the department to ensure that the self certification of income be consistent with other child care and development programs under the act.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 10236 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read:10236.
(a) For the purpose of this chapter, a “migrant agricultural worker family” means a family with at least one individual who has earned at least 40 percent of their total gross income from employment in fishing, agriculture, or agriculturally related work during the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of application for childcare and development services.(b) Children of migrant agricultural worker families shall be enrolled in childcare and development programs on the basis of the following priorities:
(1) The family moves from place to place.
(2) The family has qualified under paragraph (1) within the past five years and is currently dependent for its income on agricultural employment, but is currently settled near agricultural areas.
(3) The family resides in a rural agricultural area and is dependent upon seasonal agricultural work.
(4) Eligibility and priority for services for the federally funded Migrant Child Development Program shall be in accordance with the applicable federal regulations.
SEC. 2.
Section 10236.5 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:10236.5.
For the purpose of enrollment in migrant child care and development programs, the department shall ensure that the self certification of income shall be consistent with other child care and development programs under this part.Text of SB 778 as chaptered, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions