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County briefed on California bills, potential Medi‑Cal cost pressure and local funding steps
Summary
Full Moon Strategies updated supervisors on the recently ended California legislative session, highlighting enacted protections limiting immigration enforcement access to schools and hospitals, the governor’s signing of multiple bills (including AB 564 and budget tranches), and early county impact projections — including an estimate that Medi‑Cal could increase state costs by about $30 billion annually and concerns about SNAP error rates.
Amy Costa of Full Moon Strategies told the Alameda County Board of Supervisors’ Personnel Administration and Legislation Committee on Sept. 22 that the California Legislature concluded a fast, contentious session and the governor has begun signing bills that may affect county services and budgets.
Costa highlighted several measures the county monitored or supported: SB 81 (county‑supported provisions to protect health facilities and patient information), AB 49 and SB 98 (rules limiting immigration enforcement access to school sites and requiring notification procedures), and AB 564 (described in the presentation as a county‑supported bill that repealed a cannabis excise tax rate increase). She said the session produced nearly 2,400 introduced bills, and placed Proposition 50 (mid‑decade redistricting) on the November ballot.
The presenter emphasized the state budget process is ongoing: the Department of Finance issued guidance for agencies to submit change proposals and the governor’s 2026–27 budget will be developed over the fall. Costa said the first tranche of budget bills was already signed and included some funding intended to help local governments mitigate impacts from HR1, noting trailer bills remain outstanding.
When asked about particular measures (SB 105, SB 144, SB 146), the presenter said some were signed as part of the first budget tranche; she offered to coordinate with county departments to determine how state funds will be administered locally. She also described program‑level issues that could increase county workload if new state or federal requirements take effect.
On projected fiscal impacts, Costa said early state estimates for Medi‑Cal suggest an increased state cost on the order of $30,000,000,000 annually and that caseload projections will be refined before the May revise; she said the county will prepare projection ranges to share with the county’s delegation this fall. She also cited a California SNAP error rate of roughly 13–15 percent, a factor that could affect state cost shares under HR1.
Supervisor Fortuna Albaz thanked the presenter and noted social services staff will review specific bill language and potential local effects at a later departmental meeting. There were no public comments on the state legislative update.
The committee adjourned after online participants identified themselves for the record.
