Welfare and Institutions Code section 18997.56

(a)

(1)Notwithstanding any other law, and to the extent permitted by federal law, funds deposited and investment returns accrued in a HOPE trust account established pursuant to this chapter shall not be considered as income or assets when determining eligibility and benefit amount for any means-tested program, including, but not limited to, CalWORKs, CalFresh, General Assistance, Medi-Cal, Kinship Guardianship Assistance Payment (Kin-GAP), or Adoption Assistance Program (AAP), and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), and any scholarships for public colleges and universities, including, but not limited to, Cal Grant awards, Chafee grant awards, Middle Class Scholarship Program awards, California College Promise Grants, California State University Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) grants, Community College Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) grants, and grants from the University of California or California State University, until an eligible youth withdraws or transfers the funds from the HOPE trust fund account, at which point, the distribution of the funds shall be considered a lump-sum payment and the balance shall be counted to any extent that the balance of any savings account is counted as income or an asset in a program.

(2)

To the extent permitted by federal statute, a one-time lump sum withdrawal made from a HOPE trust account shall be considered as exempt property for all programs established under this code.

(b)

Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may implement and administer this section by means of all-county letters or similar instructions from the department until regulations are adopted.

(c)

This section shall become operative on July 1, 2025, or on the date that the department notifies the Legislature of either of the following, whichever is later:

(1)

The Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement this section.

(2)

The California Automated Response and Engagement System (CARES) can perform the necessary automation to implement this section.