SACRAMENTO – (INT) – State lawmakers Monday passed a $9.6 billion COVID Relief Package that will provide critical financial support to Californian’s in need and small businesses.

“California has risen to the challenge to provide vital relief to essential workers, families, and our small businesses. This package of legislation sets a broad and solid foundation for our state’s economic recovery, a recovery that must benefit all Californians,” San Bernardino County Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes said.

$9.6 Billion COVID-19 Relief Early Budget Package Highlights:

• Housing for the Harvest: $24 million to support the Housing for the Harvest program to provide shelter and aid for farm workers impacted by COVID-19.

• Support for Small Businesses: Provides an additional $2.1 billion in additional funding for state’s COVID relief small business and non-profit program, which is in addition to the $500 million started by the Governor and the Legislature in December, totally $2.6 billion in funding. This funding provides grants to small businesses and non-profits.

• Federal Child Care Funds: $400 million in available 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 increase 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.

• Support for Individuals and Families: Golden State Stimulus payments focused on low-income workers:

- $600 additional tax rebate for all CalEITC recipients for 2020 tax year. ($2.3 billion)
- $600 tax rebate for all ITIN tax filers up to $75,000 of income. ($470 million)
- $600 additional grant for families enrolled in CalWORKs. ($243 million)
- $600 additional grant for individuals enrolled in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI). ($750 million)
- A total of 5.7 million supplemental stimulus payments for low-income Californians.

Story Date: February 25, 2021