Topics: Child poverty
Description of Position
Southern California Grantmakers submitted a letter of support for Senate Bill 298: Poverty Reduction, introduced by Senator Anna Caballero. This bill would establish the End Child Poverty Act of 2020 and commit California to a goal of ending deep child poverty within four years and reducing child poverty by 50 percent over the next 20 years using research-backed solutions.
Background
SB 298 establishes a permanent framework through the legislative process that will assist the Legislature in investing in programs that have been proven to significantly reduce child poverty. In addition, SB 298 requires that the state monitor and measure progress by producing biannual reports analyzing how the proposed state budget will impact the child poverty rate. Expert analysis has determined that this comprehensive approach will end deep child poverty in four years. As proposed, the bill will reduce overall poverty by 50 percent and provide an over 2:1 fiscal benefit through a reduction in costs associated with health, social service and justice programs.