Assembly hearing outlines $2.8 billion general‑fund Medi‑Cal augmentation and wildfire recovery backfill in SB 100/AB 100

The California State Assembly Budget Committee on an informational hearing reviewed SB 100 and its identical counterpart AB 100, early‑action budget bills that would add $2.8 billion in General Fund support and $8.3 billion in matching federal funds for the Medi‑Cal program and authorize multiple wildfire recovery and program‑specific appropriations.

The measures, presented by Erica Lee of the Department of Finance, also would authorize augmentations to reimburse Los Angeles County and cities for unmet response and recovery costs from the Eaton and Palisades fires; provide property‑tax backfills for taxing agencies affected by the fires; increase California Office of Emergency Services reimbursement authority; restore unencumbered 2023–24 funds for the California Nonprofit Security Grant Program; and make a series of smaller, targeted appropriations and control‑section changes.

"This bill includes an increase in expenditure authority of 2,800,000,000.0 general fund and 8,300,000,000.0 matching federal funds for the Medi Cal program," Erica Lee said. Lee said the bill would also require recipients of wildfire funding to seek the maximum federal reimbursements and to deposit any federal reimbursements back into the General Fund.

Legislative Analyst's Office staff and Department of Finance witnesses told the committee that the requested $2.8 billion is intended to supplement a $3.4 billion short‑term loan the state took earlier in the fiscal year and, together with federal…