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LABBN Legislative Tracker 2026
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Legislation Name and TypeStatus Sponsor/AuthorSummaryCategory Advocacy EffortsNotes
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Federal
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H.R.1197 PREEMIE Reauthorization ActHouse - 02/11/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.Sen. Michael Bennet, Sen. John Boozman, Rep. Robin Kelly The bill is the only federal law dedicated to the research, prevention and treatment of preterm birth. The PREEMIE Act supports federal research, education, and promotes known interventions and community initiatives. It will: •Reauthorize CDC and HRSA programs and research on preventing preterm birth and promoting healthy pregnancies •Establish of an HHS entity to coordinate all federal activities and programs related to preterm birth, infant mortality and other adverse birth outcomes •Commission a new study to assess social factors impacting preterm birth, identifying gaps in public health programs on preterm birth, recommendations on preventing preterm birth, and assessing the costs of preterm birthHealthcareSigned PREEMIE Act Appropriations Coalition Letter Sign-on (3/24/26)Fact Sheet
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H.R.1909 - Preventing Maternal Deaths Reauthorization Act of 2025House - 03/06/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.Rep. Earl CarterThe bill would strengthen and expand federal support for Maternal Mortality Review Committees (MMRCs).Healthcare
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S.141 - Connected MOM ActSenate - 01/16/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Sen. Bill Cassidy The bill would direct CMS to provide Medicaid coverage recommendations to states for remote monitoring devices, which can help detect maternal health risks in pregnant women.Healthcare
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H.R.820 - Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement ActSenate - 02/05/2025 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. Sen. Tammy Duckworth This bill would require the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to clarify and regularly update guidance on the safe handling of breast milk and breastfeeding supplies, baby formula and other related products in consultation with nationally recognized maternal health organizations.Nutrition
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S.272 - Protect Infant Formula from Contamination ActSenate - 01/28/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.Sen. Gary PetersThis bill will strengthen the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) oversight of infant formula manufacturing, ensuring American families have access to a safe, secure, and affordable formula supply.Nutrition
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H.R. 1611: RAISE Act of 2025House - 02/26/2025 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. Rep. Jahana HayesA bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a refundable tax credit for certain teachers as a supplement to State efforts to provide teachers with a livable wage, and for other purposes.Education
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H.R.413 - CHILD Act of 2025House - 01/15/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. Rep. Stephanie BiceThis bill increases the maximum annual amount that may be contributed to a dependent care assistance program (generally known as a dependent care flexible spending account [FSA]). Under the bill, the maximum annual amount that may be contributed to a dependent care FSA increases from $5,000 ($2,500 for married taxpayers who file separate federal tax returns) to $10,000 ($5,000 for married taxpayers who file separate federal tax returns) and is adjusted annually for inflation.Healthcare
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S.310/H.R.646 - Build Housing with Care Act of 2025Senate - 01/29/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.Sen. Ron WydenThe Build Housing with Care Act would invest $500 million to construct child care centers co-located in affordable housing developments and cover the costs of retrofitting to help family child care providers operate in housing developments. The bill prioritizes projects that are located in child care deserts or rural communities, as well as projects that include qualified Head Start providers and providers primarily serving low-income children.HousingPress Release
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H.R.1428 - Poverty Line Act of 2025House - 02/18/2025 Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.Rep. Kevin MullinThis bill would modernize the calculation for the Federal Poverty Line and account for regional cost of living differences across the country. Modernizing the Federal Poverty Line is critical to helping millions of hard-working families who earn too little to make ends meet but for whom safety net programs have been out of reach. This bill would help those who are actually living in poverty and need access to Medicaid, food assistance, LIHEAP (heating assistance), and other critical support. Updating the federal calculation would also help low-income families achieve social and economic mobility.Financial AssistancePress Release
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H.R.1408 - Affordable Child Care ActHouse - 02/18/2025 Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. Rep. Sharice DavidsPress Release
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S.343/H.R.869 - Keep Our PACT Act01/31/2025 Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.Sen. Van Hollen, Rep. Susie LeeThe Keep Our Promise to America’s Children and Teachers (PACT) Act would set right the longtime underfunding of Title I and IDEA by charting a fiscally responsible path for Congress to fund these key education programs fully and reliably. The legislation bill lays out a clear road map to fund Title I and IDEA and to ensure all children have access to a quality education, no matter their zip code. It prioritizes education in the federal budget by transitioning these two critical programs towards full funding on a mandatory basis over a ten-year period. It would ensure that all children have the opportunity to learn and grow, with access to quality schools, great, teachers, and the additional support needed to overcome barriers to success.EducationFact Sheet
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Legislation Name and TypeStatus Sponsor/AuthorSummaryCategory Advocacy EffortsNotes
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State
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AB-65 Pregnancy Leave for Educators 06/17/26- From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on L., P.E. & R. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry & Senator CervantesAB 65 would:
- Provide 14 weeks of pregnancy leave and help retain educators during a historic educator shortage.
- Public school educators from having to choose to get by with less pay or “schedule” pregnancies based on the school calendar.
- End the discriminatory practice of forcing women to deplete their leave balances to bear children.
- Close the $100,000 gap in retirement that women earn compared to their male colleagues.		Paid Family LeaveMore Information
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SB-1149 Bereavement Leave for Chosen or Extended
Family		06/11/26- From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 10). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Senator DurazoWould update California’s existing bereavement leave law so workers can take unpaid bereavement leave to grieve the death of a loved one, whether that person is related by blood or is a “chosen” family member. This legislation ensures that workers are not forced to choose between mourning a loved one and keeping their job.Paid Family LeaveSubmitted a Coalition Letter of Support from CA Work and Family Coalition 3/17/26More Information
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AB-1790 Close the Water’s Edge Corporate Tax
Loophole		05/14/26-In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.Assembly Members Connolly, Elhawary, and LeeWill end the corporate tax loophole known as Water’s Edge, that allows multinational corporations (MCNs) to prevent paying California taxes on approximately $3-4 billion in profits every year. This massive tax break has cost California billions of dollars since its creation in 1986, including a whopping $4.1 billion in the 2024-25 alone. More Information
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AB-1633 Tax on Private Detention Facilities06/24/26- From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Assembly Member HaneyThis legistlation would hold for-profit corporations accountable for operating ICE-funded private immigration detention facilities in California by taxing their massive profits and reinvesting the revenue into a new fund that would provide immigration-related services.Immigration More Information
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SB-1202 Medi-Cal: Medi-Cal Transparency and Outreach06/16/26- Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Senator Weber PiersonThis bill requires the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) to create a public-facing dashboard tracking Medi-Cal enrollment losses resulting from H.R. 1 eligibility changes. It also strengthens outreach requirements for DHCS, counties, and Medi-Cal managed care plans to prevent eligible Californians from losing coverage due to avoidable paperwork barriers.Submitted Letter of Support to Position Portal 3/30/26
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AB 2161: Protecting Medi-Cal Coverage from H.R. 1’s Disproven Work Requirements06/03/26- Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Assembly Member BontaThis bill prevents California from amplifying H.R. 1’s harmful work requirements by extending them unnecessarily to state-funded Medi-Cal populations. It minimizes administrative burden by automating verification using available data sources and requires that any federal work requirement implementation be applied in the least harmful way possible for Medi-Cal members.Submitted Letter of Support to Position Portal 3/30/26
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AB 2208: Limited Cost Sharing, Accessibility Improvements, and Retroactive Coverage06/22/26- From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HEALTH.Assembly Member StefaniThis bill caps cost-sharing for Medi-Cal members impacted by H.R. 1 to one cent for all services, protecting families from medical debt and cost-related barriers to care. It also requires user-testing and accessibility improvements for BenefitsCal, CalSAWS, and CalHEERS, including mobile reporting functionality and text message notifications. Finally, the bill preserves three months of state-funded retroactive Medi-Cal coverage, preventing gaps in care created by H.R. 1’s restrictive federal policies.Submitted Letter of Support to Position Portal 3/30/26
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AB 2201: Reducing Administrative Burden of Medi-Cal Renewal Processing03/02/26- Referred to Com. on HEALTH.Assembly Member BoernerThis bill reinstates proven eligibility and renewal strategies to streamline Medi-Cal processing and reduce wrongful terminations. By reducing unnecessary administrative workload, it frees county staff to focus on complex cases and urgent H.R. 1 implementation demands.
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SB 1422: Medi-Cal: eligibility- Immigration status06/08/26- Ordered to inactive file.Senator DurazoSB 1422 sunsets the Medi-Cal enrollment freeze and restores enrollment access to full-scope Medi-Cal for undocumented adults ages 19 and older starting January 1, 2027.
Fact Sheet
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AB 2161:
Shielding Medi-Cal Coverage from H.R. 1’s Disproven
Work Requirements		03/23/26- From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HEALTH. Read second time and amended.Assembly Member BontaThis bill would protect Medi-Cal coverage for low-income Californians by:
• Stopping DHCS’s endorsement of HR1’s work requirements through imposition on state-funded Medi-Cal members;
• Minimizing administrative burden by automating data sources, exemptions and exceptions;
• Applying work requirements in least harmful way for members to obtain and maintain coverage, including adoption of all federally allowable exemptions and exceptions; and
• Codifying and clarifying notification rights so that people know how to demonstrate compliance before their Medi-Cal coverage is terminated.		Submitted Letter of Support to Position Portal 3/30/26Fact Sheet
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AB 2299: California Antihunger Response and Employment Training Act (CARET)06/29/26- From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 29). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Assembly Member CalderonThis bill would establish “a state-funded food benefits program for Californians who lose eligibility under HR 1, “which expanded rigid work hour thresholds impacting those who receive CalFresh benefit”.Submitted Letter of Support to Position Portal 4/2/26Fact Sheet
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Legislation Name and TypeStatus Sponsor/AuthorSummaryCategory Advocacy EffortsNotes
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Local
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Public CommentsNotes
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LettersOrganizationlink to letter
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Sign-On Letter: CHW/P/Rs Keep Californians Covered Our Health Our Futureletter is about urging the Legislature to invest at least $4 million in one-time funding to bolster the urgent work of CHW/P/Rs to help Californians maintain coverage and connect to care at a time they are needed the most. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc2Q5qvxVrPlT9JxxQaTrsfbCiSzxsYWkev8rA5_9DiXihaog/viewform
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SIGN ON: CTAN's Child-Focused Comment on HUD's Mixed-Status Proposed RuleThe Children Thrive Action Network (CTAN) The Children Thrive Action Network (CTAN) invites children’s advocacy and provider organizations to sign on to a child-focused comment in response to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) proposed rule that would bar mixed-status families from living in HUD-assisted housing. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdh96DtmuCFkvdFZZPGErRGKTg-DvQCtoRBOT3kcCH4G6CjHg/viewform
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