In The News

A bill that would decriminalize criminal penalties for attempted welfare fraud for cases under $950 and eliminate criminal penalties for overpayments from administrative errors or infractions continued to move up in the Senate this month, with an Appropriations Committee vote now set for May 5th.

Senate Bill 560, authored by Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), would specifically delete the provision that establishes criminal penalties for an attempt to commit welfare fraud, as well as remove criminal penalties for welfare fraud when the total amount of aid obtained or retained is above or below $950, and instead make welfare fraud when aid was obtained or retained in the total amount of $25,000 or more punishable by specified imprisonment in a county jail and/or fine.

The proposal to decriminalize small-scale welfare fraud in California highlights a broader debate about how the justice system should handle low-level financial offenses, particularly those involving vulnerable populations. Supporters argue that many alleged fraud cases stem from administrative mistakes rather than deliberate wrongdoing, and that criminalizing errors as minor as $25 disproportionately harms low-income individuals.

A bill that would decriminalize welfare fraud under $25,000 in California for simple administrative errors is being pushed by a Democratic lawmaker.

State Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas introduced Senate Bill 560, which would delete criminal penalties for welfare fraud below $25,000, and delete a provision for criminal penalties for any attempt at welfare fraud below $950, according to the legislation, which was introduced in February.

The California Senate has advanced a bill that would force employees to disclose what surveillance technologies they are using on workers. But some companies are afraid overly detailed requirements will make it easier for workers or others to steal from them. Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, D-Los Angeles, said her bill will bring "long overdue transparency and accountability" to employer surveillance.

Last week, California Black Media (CBM) provided an update on four bills in the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) 2025 Road to Repair package.

Members of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus introduced a slate of bills to reform women’s prisons in California on Thursday morning, building on a broader push toward rehabilitation within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation known as the California Model.

State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles) convened more than 75 leaders of labor, business and the public sectors at LA Trade Technical College on Friday for a first-of-its-kind summit focused on expanding equitable access to good paying jobs in three emerging industries – Green Infrastructure, Cannabis, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

To honor Women in Construction Week, Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC), introduced Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 30 in the State Legislature on March 6. This resolution pays tribute to women and highlights their contributions to the building industry.