"Immigration;"
IMMIGRATION
Governor Wilson Proposes Ending More than 200 State Services to
Undocumented Immigrants
Governor Wilson on Tuesday, March 25, 1997, proposed ending more
than 200 services to undocumented immigrants in response to the
new federal welfare law's prohibition on providing many public
services to immigrants. The federal law preempted states from
serving the undocumented unless new state laws are enacted.
Many states are taking a "go slow" approach to ending services to
undocumented persons, opting to focus first on the larger changes
required by the new federal bill such as changes to welfare and
food stamps and other social services programs. Under the
Wilson's administration's just announced plan, the effect of the
new law will be to deny some of the services to the undocumented.
In the meantime, suits against the new law are pending in the
courts.
The Wilson administration did determine that some services
related to life and safety, such as long-term residential care to
elderly or disabled persons, should be continued to the
undocumented through legislation. However, the governor
continues to oppose providing publicly funded prenatal care to
undocumented persons although it has been provided for many years
in California to about 70,000 undocumented pregnant women
annually.
The administration predicted it will take some months to develop
regulations to determine how to go about screening applicants and
denying services to those here illegally.
In addition to prenatal care, services that would end include
student financial aid, housing assistance, alcohol and drug
treatment programs, and profession and business licenses issued
by the state.
Undocumented immigrants under the federal law will continue to be
eligible for emergency medical care, treatment for communicable
diseases, school meals and services for battered women and
children. The U.S. attorney general's office also has issued
exemptions for such basic assistance as soup kitchens and crisis
counseling.
[This bulletin borrows extensively from Rebecca LaVally's PICO
Information update on immigration, Senate Office of Research,
March 26, 1997. See next item for information about PICO.]
A NEW ON-LINE PUBLIC POLICY INFORMATION SOURCE
The California Senate Office of Research has established a policy
information clearinghouse on-line (PICO). Currently, it has
information and bulletins on seven issues, including several with
connections to welfare reform: health care, juvenile justice,
immigration, child care, business and the economy, and school-to-
work. The lone PICO topic without a welfare link is coastal
issues.
To find PICO, go to the Senate's home page: www.sen.ca.gov From
there, click on Senate Committees and Offices, then click on the
Office of Research, then click on PICO.
ASSEMBLY BILLS DEALING WITH WELFARE CHANGES
Here are more Assembly bills:
AB 72, Knox: Citizenship assistance, elderly and disabled
refugees
AB 98, Olberg: AFDC maximum payment equal to minimum wage
AB 282, Torlakson: TANF, rent voucher
AB 501, Migden: SSP for legal aliens
AB 502, Ducheny: Child welfare services for undocumented
immigrant children
AB 718, Lempert: TANF
AB 740, Washington: AFDC/TANF/GAIN
AB 773, Honda: Employment and training
AB 882, Aroner: Cal-Learn
AB 1006, Human Services Committee: Human Services
AB 1008, Kaloogian: General assistance: substance abuse screening
AB 1045, Knox: AFDC benefits: individual development accounts
AB 1073, Cardoza: Statewide automated system for aid payments
AB 1164, Wright: AFDC eligibility: employment training
AB 1210, Wright: Welfare reform: parenting education
AB 1305, Granlund: Welfare: fraud or controlled substances
AB 1322, Wright: AFDC legal guardianship subsidies
AB 1326, Prenter: AFDC/TANF eligibility time limits
AB 1345, Alquist: Electronic Benefits Transfer Act
AB 1400, Ashburn: Governor's welfare proposal
AB 1401, Battin: AFDC/TANF eligibility and work participation
limit
AB 1402, Olberg: TANF eligibility and work participation limit
AB 1403, House: AFDC/TANF, truant and unimmunized children
AB 1404, Runner: AFDC: paternity determination and support
AB 1405, Bordonaro: AFDC: health and safety assessment of
children; teen parent program
AB 1406, Miller: TANF: loss of eligibility
AB 1407, Ashburn: Emergency medical care for general assistance
AB 1501, Brown: Welfare reform
To find bills, committee analyses, and voting information, go to
the Senate Health and Human Services home page, click on 1997-98
welfare reform legislation and committees, click on legislation
again, and follow the link to the legislative search engine.
March 27, 1997