California State Budget, Legislature & The Capitol

Governor Newsom Sues Trump Administration Over Delayed November SNAP Benefits & Federal Judge Rules Federal Government Must Use Contingency Funds to Pay Partial SNAP Benefits

On November 1, 2025, states were not able to make November payments to SNAP beneficiaries due to the federal shutdown. This is the first time in the program’s 60-year history that the federal government failed to make the food-assistance payments because of a pause in appropriations. 1 in 8 Americans use SNAP to buy groceries.

NOVEMBER CALFRESH ON PAUSE: On October 20, a letter (ACL 25-75) was issued to California County Welfare Departments (CWD) directing them to hold November CalFresh benefits until further notice. CalWORKs benefits are not impacted at this time. Click here to read more about what was included the letter in last week's newsletter. In response, Governor Newsom fast-tracked $80 million of state funds ahead of additional funding delays. He also deployed the California National Guard and state volunteers on a humanitarian mission to support food bank operations, similar to what he did during the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

CALIFORNIA AND 20 STATES SUE: Last week, Governor Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta joined 21 states in suing the Trump Administration for the administration's refusal to tap into $5.5 billion of contingency funds to fund November SNAP benefits during the shutdown. The lawsuit alleges that withholding the contingency funds violates federal spending laws. This comes after 214 House Democrats sent a letter to the USDA last week urging the USDA to use the contingency funds to cover SNAP payments. At the litigation hearing a federal judge indicated she would likely order the Trump administration to use reserves to partially fund SNAP for the 42 million SNAP recipients in November.

FEDERAL JUDGES' FINDINGS: In the lawsuit California and 21 states brought against the administration, on Friday the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts found the federal government is statutorily mandated to use previously appropriated SNAP contingency funds. The court also ruled that the USDA has discretion to use $23 billion dollars in Section 32 funds for SNAP. Additionally, in a different lawsuit, the U.S. District Court in Rhode Island ruled on Friday that the federal government is illegally withholding available funds for SNAP and must make these funds available to all states.

TRUMP ADMIN SAYS CONTINGENCY FUNDS NOT "LEGALLY AVAILABLE": A memo from the Department of Agriculture was sent to states stating that the contingency fund is reserved for things as helping individuals in disaster areas. It cited Tropical Storm Melissa, which has become a Category 3 hurricane battering Jamaica and Cuba, as an example of why it’s important to have funds available to mobilize quickly in the event of a disaster. House Speaker Mike Johnson stated to reporters last week that $5.5 billion in contingency funding are not "legally available" to cover SNAP benefits. "The reason is because it's a finite source of funds, it was appropriated by Congress, and if they transferred funds from these other sources, it pulls it away immediately from school meals and infant formula. So, it's a tradeoff."

HOW MUCH DOES SNAP COST? The program costs the federal government about $9 billion per month. The $5.5 billion of contingency funds is not enough to pay for a full month of benefits. California alone issues $1.1 billion in CalFresh benefits to eligible Californians per month.

California Dept of Social Services Confirms Funding for the Child and Adult Care Food Program Through November 30th

”​The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) is closely monitoring the federal budget developments and the potential impact of the government shutdown on the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), which is federally funded. The CACFP is designed to provide nutritious meals and snacks served to infants, children, and adults in eligible care settings. The CDSS CACFP partners with more than 1,350 sponsoring organizations to serve nearly 746,500 program participants in California on average each day. By participating in the CACFP, providers help make nutrition affordable and accessible for families. 

Currently, there is funding available for CACFP reimbursements for meals and associated administrative costs for October and November 2025. If a budget agreement is not reached before November 30, 2025, future CACFP reimbursements could be at risk. A prolonged shutdown could delay or disrupt these payments to local sponsoring organizations and program operators, affecting families who rely on CACFP benefits. The CDSS will communicate any updates as they become available.​ For questions regarding this information, please contact the CDSS CACFP Team by email at CACFPInfo@dss.ca.gov."

Head Start California: Fire Marshal Workgroup Issues Initial Recommendations

Last year, several ECE advocacy organizations acted quickly to roll back the State Fire Marshal’s (OSFM) new limit of 5 infants / toddlers per classroom, securing language in Assembly Bill 176 that required the OSFM to work with the field in crafting new regulations. 

Over the course of the last several months those organizations and ECE providers have participated in the workgroup examining the current building code applicable to childcare centers. Through a series of sub workgroups, recommendations for new codes were developed. Each sub workgroup was composed of a diverse group of experts in fire prevention, building code, licensing, and program operations who took a deep look at particular code sections.

Recommendations include: 

• Maintaining the current limit of 100 infants and toddlers per building; 
• Removing the requirement for buildings with over 100 infants and toddlers to have an exterior exit door in every room; and 
• Allowing additional flexibility for programs that undergo “extra” safety measures, such as higher ratios, evacuation cribs, and fire drills. 

Staff at OSFM are now finalizing the recommendations, which will then be reviewed by State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant. Recommendations approved by Chief Berlant will then be submitted to the Building Commission for consideration at its February 2026 meeting. There will be opportunity for public comment to the building commission; stay tuned for information from HSC on how to comment in early 2026. 

SAVE THE DATE! February 4, 2026 
7th Annual Hybrid "Lifting Up Families" Advocacy Day

Join us and our partners in family services, advocacy, business, and government on February 4, 2026 for the 7th annual "Lifting Up Families" Advocacy Day at the State Capitol and online! Click here to be directed to the 2026 advocacy day webpage for more information.

Interested in joining the advocacy day as a participant or sponsor? Email mckenzie@thrivingfamilies-ca.org.

California's Special Election is TOMORROW on November 4

How to Drop Off Your Ballot

• All California active registered voters received a vote-by-mail ballot for the November 4, 2025, Statewide Special Election.
• RETURN BY MAIL: Vote-by-mail ballots that are mailed must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by your county elections office no later than 7 days after Election Day (November 12).  
• It is recommended to drop off your vote-by-mail ballot as soon as possible to ensure it is counted.
• RETURN IN-PERSON: You can also personally delivered your mail-in ballot to any polling place within the state or the office of your county elections official no later than the close of polls at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
• VOTE IN-PERSON: Click here to find your nearest polling place.

Voting Resources

• CA Secretary of State's voting webpage
• CalMatters 2025 California Voter Guide: Your Election Questions, Answered

Missed the Registration Deadline?

Eligible citizens who missed the October 20 deadline to register to vote may complete the "Same Day" voter registration process through Election Day on November 4, 2025, at their local county elections office or any in-person voting location within their county.

What is Prop 50?

If you are a California voter, you have the opportunity to vote directly to support or oppose Proposition 50 in the November 4th election.

California’s Proposition 50, also known as the "Election Rigging Response Act," is a countermeasure against mid-cycle partisan redistricting efforts in Texas and other states. If approved by voters, Proposition 50 would allow California to adopt a temporary congressional district map, drawn by the state legislature, from 2026 to 2030. In 2031, the once-per-decade redistricting process would take place as usual, based on the latest Census data. Click here to view the current and proposed district maps.

Prop 50 Resources

• CA Voter Guide Prop 50 Arguments in Favor and Against
• CalMatters Article on Prop 50 published October 10, 2025

Important Dates, Deadlines,

Hearings, and Bills

Dates & Deadlines:

• November 4, 2025 - Election Day
• December 23-25, 2025 - Winter Holiday
• January 1, 2026 - Statutes take effect.
• January 5, 2026 - Legislature reconvenes.

The Legislature is on recess until January 5, 2026. This is a great time to schedule in-district meetings and site visits. Please let TFC staff know if you would like assistance with reaching out to your representative.

Legislative Resources:

• See the tentative 2026-27 Legislative Calendar here.
• Visit TFC's Legislation Page to find a comprehensive list of bills of interest.
• Visit TFC's Budget Page for full budget bill details, as well as budget hearing video archive links.
• Click here to view all the bills that the Assembly and Senate introduced this legislative year.
• Click here to view legislative committee information, rules, and position letter deadlines.

Did You Know?

Child Care Q&A's

NOTE: If you have a question you would like answered or researched, please email.

Question: How quickly are child care providers reimbursed for services provided to families using a child care voucher?

Answer: According to WIC 10277(a)(1) based on CFR 45.98(m)(1), child care providers shall be paid within 21 calendar days of the submission of either a completed attendance record or invoice.

However, WIC 10277(a)(5) specifies that if a county or contractor is unable to issue reimbursement payments within 21 calendar days due to extenuating circumstances, the impacted provider shall be notified within a reasonable timeframe of the county or contractor becoming aware of the circumstance causing the delay of reimbursement payment. The contractor will then make the payment as soon as they are able.

Question: What are the requirements for a completed attendance record or invoice?

Answer: A complete attendance record or invoice includes the following, at a minimum:

1. The dates and actual times the child entered and left care each day. This information shall be documented on a daily basis.
2. The signature of the parent or guardian, the name of the child receiving services and signature of the child care provider attesting under penalty of perjury that the information included on the monthly attendance record or invoice is true and accurate.
3. A provider may submit a monthly attendance record or invoice without a parent’s signature when the parent has not communicated with the provider for seven consecutive days and the provisions of Abandonment of Care have been adhered to.

A contractor cannot process a reimbursement payment for services provided if the above requirements are not met.

Federal Update

Resources on the Federal Shutdown

On Wednesday, October 1, 2026, the federal government shut down after Congress failed to pass a budget for Fiscal Year 2026 by the September 30 deadline. Visit TFC's website to learn more.

Click here to read the most recent weekly federal update from the National Women's Law Center.

Federal Government Update 

Breaking news (10/31): Two federal judges said Friday that the administration must tap into billions of dollars in emergency funds to at least partially cover food stamp benefits for tens of millions of Americans in November.

The rulings from judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island reject a controversial US Department of Agriculture claim that it could not use a contingency fund, which the agency says has $5.3 billion remaining in it, to help cover the benefits amid the month-long government shutdown.

The SNAP program costs roughly $9 billion a month, so the orders will not cover all of the needed payments for November.

“There is no doubt that the…contingency funds are appropriated funds that are without a doubt necessary to carry out the program’s operation.” US District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island said. 

“The shutdown of the government through funding doesn’t do away with SNAP, it just does away with the funding of it.” More: SNAP: Two federal judges require Trump administration tap into emergency funds to partially cover food stamp benefits | CNN Politics

Additionally, as the shutdown stretches past the one-month mark, six Head Start programs serving 6,525 children are already operating without federal funding, drawing on emergency local resources to stay open. By November 1, 2025, another 134 programs across 41 states and Puerto Rico, serving 58,627 children, will face the same cliff unless Congress and the president act swiftly. Among the states hit hardest by this Nov. 1 deadline: Florida, Georgia, Missouri and Ohio.

• Extended Government Shutdown Puts 65,152 Head Start Children and Families at Risk - NHSA
• See How the Government Shutdown Impacts Head Start By State - NHSA
• State Map & News Clips - Shutdown 2025: Impact On Head Start Programs - FFYF

⇒ Take Action: Tell Congress: Reopen the Government AND Protect People’s Health Care (NWLC)

As of Friday (10/31), it does not appear that Congress is close to coming to a deal to reopen the government. Not only does this impasse affect the operation of the federal government, but it is also delaying overdue agreement on FY26 appropriations. Federal ECE and other programs are currently operating on the FY24 budget. More: The federal government is still shut down. Here's what that means in your community : NPR

We urge Congress to adopt the Senate Democrats' version of the Continuing Resolution, which would lower health care costs by repealing the catastrophic Medicaid cuts and making the enhanced ACA premium tax credits permanent. Importantly, their 30-day continuing resolution includes safeguards to prevent Trump from illegally withholding federal funds from programs like Head Start. More: NWLC Action Fund Endorses Democrats’ Proposal to Fund the Government; Rejects Republicans’ Spending Bill

⇒ Take Action: Tell Congress: Reopen the Government AND Protect People’s Health Care (NWLC)

More on the impacts of the shutdown in item #2.

Protect Head Start & Early Head Start 

Head Start Litigation

Federal Court Halts Trump Administration’s Unlawful Attacks on Head Start Families: In a win for working families, a federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction effectively blocking an exclusionary directive of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS), which sought to shut out immigrant families from participating in Head Start based on their immigration status for the first time in the program’s history since it was created in 1965. The ruling prevents the HHS directive from going into effect and enjoins the government from implementing or enforcing it against any Head Start agencies, program providers, student or family participants, or other similar persons. More: Federal Court Halts Trump Administration’s Unlawful Attacks on Head Start Families | American Civil Liberties Union 

Importantly, this emergency injunction applies to every state across the country.

We are still awaiting a ruling on the anti-DEIA executive order and RIFs/regional office closures.

• Together for Head Start | Linktree
• Encourage your members to share their Head Start stories:
• A new confidential story portal is officially live: childcareforeveryfamily.org/HeadStart.
•  You can find graphics to share HERE or share our posts from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,and BlueSky. 
• An attorney and Head Start alum (Mario Moya) who is interested in submitting an amicus brief in our case (if/when the recent preliminary injunction is appealed to the Ninth Circuit). Mario’s brief would be highlighting the experiences of other Head Start alums to demonstrate why the program is so important for vulnerable kids and families. We would be grateful if folk could share this survey link that Mario is using to collect stories with anyone you know who is a Head Start alum – it can be filled out either by name or anonymously: Head Start Amicus Survey

Executive Actions

• Tracking the Harm of DOGE Cuts | CLASP
• Executive Action Watch | Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
• EducationCounsel - Executive Actions Chart.docx - Google Docs
• Executive Action Spotlight - Protecting Immigrant Families

Take Action

• Tell Congress: Reopen the Government AND Protect People’s Health Care (NWLC)
• Child Care Messaging Post-Reconciliation (c3/c4) (Child Care for Every Family Network)
• Find in-person and online events here: CHN/partner events joint calendar
• SRA+SiX TOOLKIT: State Response to Federal Tax Bill
• Tell Congress: Save Head Start for Families (NWLC)
• Messaging Guide for Child Care (c3 version) (c4 version) (Child Care for Every Family Network)
• Interactive Data Dashboard (Center for American Progress)
• Click the link below for a full list of actions under "Federal Update"

Most Viewed Bills of the Week:

1.H.R.1 [119th] One Big Beautiful Bill Act

2.H.R.5371 [119th] Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026

3.S.3012 [119th] Shutdown Fairness Act

4.S.2296 [119th] National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026

5.S.499 [119th] Government Shutdown Prevention Act of 2025

6.H.Res.353 [119th] Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.

7.H.R.5401 [119th] Pay Our Troops Act of 2026

8.S.2882 [119th] Continuing Appropriations and Extensions and Other Matters Act, 2026

9.H.R.1968 [119th] Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025

10.H.R.4016 [119th] Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026

CDSS & CDE Information & Updates

CCLD QUARTERLY FORMS UPDATE – OCTOBER 28, 2025

Primary Audience: ALL COMMUNITY CARE LICENSED PROVIDERS

Message:

In order to keep our external partners duly informed on form updates published by the Community Care Licensing Division (CCLD), we would like to provide you with the following list of published CCLD forms that have been created or updated in the last quarter. The following list includes forms that impact multiple Programs, as well as those specific to individual Programs: 

Forms impacting multiple Programs:

·       LIC 9214 (7/25): Application for Administrator Certification

·       LIC 300A (9/25): Confirmation of Removal – Exemption Needed

·       LIC 300B (9/25): Confirmation of Removal – Denial/Recission

RELEASED October 24, 2025: Child Care Bulletin (CCB) 25-26: Cost of Care Plus Rate Payments to Child Care Centers Pursuant to Senate Bill (SB) 120 (Chapter 13, Statutes of 2025)

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Child Care and Development Division (CCDD) has recently published the following document: Child Care Bulletin (CCB) 25-26: Cost of Care Plus Rate Payments to Child Care Centers Pursuant to Senate Bill (SB) 120 (Chapter 13, Statutes of 2025)

The purpose of this CCB is to provide guidance to counties and child care and development contractors regarding the distribution of cost of care plus rate payments to child care centers pursuant to Senate Bill (SB) 120 (Chapter 13, Statutes of 2025).

For questions regarding the information in this letter, please contact the Child Care and Policy Development Bureau at (916) 657-2144 or at CCPB@dss.ca.gov.

Child Care Bulletin (CCB) 25-21E: ERRATUM TO ALTERNATIVE PAYMENT PROGRAM ADMIN SUPPORT ALLOCATION

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Child Care and Development Division (CCDD) has recently posted the following document on its Internet website: Child Care Bulletin (CCB) 25-21E

The purpose of this erratum Child Care Bulletin is to revise communication to provide information to child care and development contractors regarding administrative allocations appropriated in Assembly Bill (AB) 102 for the administration and support costs associated with implementing ongoing provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding with Child Care Providers United.

If you have questions or need additional guidance regarding the information in this letter, please contact the Child Development Fiscal Services inbox at childdevelopmentfiscal@dss.ca.gov

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Family, Friend, or Neighbor Consultation Available!

The California Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) Network is offering virtual consultation services at no cost to Family, Friend, or Neighbor (FFN) caregivers across California.

If you care for the children of a family member, friend, or neighbor on a regular basis, then you may participate in FFN Consultation! If you are a service agency administrator, please share this exciting opportunity with FFN caregivers in your community.



Consultation is a service of the IECMHC Network that connects you with an infant and early childhood mental health consultant who supports you over a series of sessions to connect and understand your questions about children’s behavior and development, reflect on your relationship with the child and family, grow your community connections, and care for yourself. 

The FFN Consultation will be provided virtually through a combination of one-on-one and group sessions with an IECMHC Network consultant. Consultation will begin in October 2025 and includes 7 sessions over a 3-month period. Stipends and Connect. Reflect. Grow. Kits will be provided.

Please view the FFN Consultation Flyer for group session dates and more information visit IECMHC Consultation to register.

Continued Funding Application Office Hours Information

Attention: Executive Directors and Program Directors of California State Preschool Programs  

This is a reminder that contractors holding a current California State Preschool Program (CSPP) contract, and if applicable a Prekindergarten and Family Literacy Support (CPKS) contract, who wish to be considered for continued funding for fiscal year (FY) 2026–27 must submit a Continued Funding Application (CFA).

The FY 2026–27 CFA is due November 14, 2025. Detailed instructions for completing and submitting the FY 2026–27 CFA are posted on the CDE CFA web page.

The Early Education Division (EED) will host Office Hours on the following dates to assist contractors with completing and submitting the CFA. Contractors are encouraged to attend these office hours to ask questions and receive technical assistance, as needed.

September 26, 2025, 10 to 11 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)

October 3, 2025, 10 to 11 a.m. PDT

October 10, 2025, 10 to 11 a.m. PDT

Select this link to join any of these Office Hours: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89078320354

Passcode: 730492

If you have any questions regarding the CFA process, please contact the CFA team by email at CFA@cde.ca.gov. Include your agency’s name, vendor number, and phone number on all inquiries.

Thriving Families CA Foundation Partner Highlight for the Week of November 3rd

Sign up! This conference will sell out. Enjoy 15+ sessions on policy, equity, and partnerships!

Social Media Spotlight

Follow TFC on social media!

We would love for you to tag us in your posts and use the hashtag #TFC2025

On Our Reading List

Information & Updates

Happening This Week, November 3 - 7, 2025:

Tuesday, November 4th:

• TFC Foundation Weekly Member Connections Meeting @ 1:00 p.m. Email to register.

Wednesday, November 5th:

• R&R and TFC Joint Virtual Conference
• TFC Public Policy Meeting @ 2pm

Thursday, November 6th:

• R&R and TFC Joint Virtual Conference

Thriving Families CA Foundation is committed to supporting our field with a coordinated calendar. Click here to see our current calendar of events. If you have an event to add, email us and it will be added.

The Weekly Good

An uplifting way to start the week, for those of us who need a break from the chaos that is our lives.

During this time where we are all stressed, it would be great to celebrate the positive. Each week we will celebrate everyday heroes, inspiring movements and great things happening in our field.