Local & Community
Gov. Newsom approves California coronavirus relief bill
Governor Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed a legislative package to approve coronavirus relief for Californians.
The bill includes $600 one-time payments to low-income individuals and households and four times the available amount of relief for small businesses.
These legislative budget actions are part of the Governor and Legislature’s $9.6 billion pandemic emergency relief package.
Below are key provisions of the bills signed into law:
Direct Relief to Individuals and Families
Incorporates the Governor’s Golden State Stimulus plan to assist California households that have borne the disproportionate economic burden of the COVID-19 Recession – those with incomes below $30,000, as well as those unfairly excluded from previous federal stimulus payments.
Provides $600 in one-time relief to households receiving the California EITC for 2020. In addition, the agreement provides a $600 one-time payment to taxpayers with Individual Tax Identification Numbers (ITINs) who were precluded from receiving the $1,200 per person federal payments issued last spring and the more recent $600 federal payments. Today’s action also provides $600 payments to households with ITINs and income below $75,000. ITIN taxpayers who also qualify for the California EITC would receive a total of $1,200. The payments will be provided to these households shortly after they file their 2020 tax returns.
Provides direct relief to additional lower-income Californians through a $600 one-time grant to households enrolled in the CalWORKS program and recipients of SSI/SSP and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI). Grant payments for CalWORKS households are expected by mid-April; timing for the delivery of SSI/SSP and CAPI grants is currently under discussion with federal officials.
Combined, the package represents a total of 5.7 million payments to low-income Californians.
Immediate Relief for Small Businesses
Provides $2.1 billion – a four-fold increase over the $500 million currently being distributed – for grants up to $25,000 for small businesses impacted by the pandemic, and allocates $50 million of this total for non-profit cultural institutions.
Fee Waivers for Heavily Impacted Licensees
Two years of fee relief for roughly 59,000 restaurants and bars licensed through the state’s Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control that can range annually from $455 to $1,235. The action also reflects fee relief for more than 600,000 barbering and cosmetology individuals and businesses licensed through the Department of Consumer Affairs.
More Resources for Critical Child Care
Addition of just over $400 million in new federal funds to provide stipends of $525 per enrolled child for all state-subsidized child care and preschool providers serving approximately 400,000 children in subsidized care statewide. The new federal resources will extend care for children of essential workers through June of 2022, and funds increased access to subsidized child care for more than 8,000 children of essential workers and at-risk children – who are not currently served in the system – through June of 2022.
Additional Aid for Individuals and Families
Provides an additional $24 million for financial assistance and services through Housing for the Harvest – a program providing support for agricultural workers who have to quarantine due to COVID-19. The effort also provides a combined $35 million for food banks and diapers.
Emergency Financial Relief to Support Community College Students
Provides an additional $100 million in emergency financial aid for qualifying low-income students carrying six or more units, with award amounts to be determined locally and made available by early April. In addition, the agreement provides $20 million to reengage students who have either left their community college studies because of the pandemic or to engage students at risk of leaving.
CalFresh Student Outreach and Application Assistance
Provides roughly $6 million to support outreach and application assistance to University of California, California State University and California Community College students made newly eligible for CalFresh – the state-administered federal program for supplemental food assistance. The agreement also provides $12 million in state funds to support associated county administrative workload.
In addition, the following provision is included in Tuesday’s action:
Restoration of Reductions
Restoration of the previously enacted reductions, effective July 1st, for the University of California, California State University, the Judicial Branch, Child Support Services and for moderate-income housing.
Watch his press conference below and tune in to NBC Palm Springs News at 5pm for more details.
LIVE NOW: Governor @GavinNewsom, alongside @SenToniAtkins & @Rendon63rd, signs a comprehensive legislative package to provide urgently needed relief for individuals, families & businesses suffering economic hardship due to #COVID19. https://t.co/8MpWZCOl1F
— California Governor (@CAgovernor) February 23, 2021
This article has been updated with new information
By: NBC Palm Springs
February 23, 2021
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