California will end the year with total reserve funds of $19.2 billion.
State budget expands Medical coverage for undocumented young immigrants
When Gov. Newson took office, he expressed his commitment to address the problems confronting Californians. He emphasized his intention to make the “California Dream available to all.”
The Governor, through the state budget, expanded critical services and opportunities for Californians. His administration took the first step towards providing universal health care by expanding Medi-Cal coverage to all income-eligible undocumented young adults ages 19 to 25.
The state budget included $1.4 billion in investment to increase Covered California health insurance premium support for low-income Californians and to provide premium support for qualified middle-income individuals.
In addition, the state budget expands paid family leave from six to eight weeks for each parent or caretaker of a newborn child. It also increases funding for childcare workers and state-subsidized facilities. Furthermore, it provides resources for lower –income parents including:
- home-visiting services
- black infant health programs
- developmental and trauma screenings, temporary cash assistance to families with children to meet basic needs,
- child savings accounts to support future higher education expenses and a sales tax exemption on diapers and menstrual products
More money for K-12 and higher education
California also allocated substantial amount of money for education. It increased its investment in K-12 education by approximately 5,000 per pupil. The state also set aside $90 million to recruit and retain qualified educators and $43.8 million to provide training and resources for classroom teachers and paraprofessionals.
