News

This year marks a historic moment for college affordability and student basic needs in California — two of uAspire’s sponsored bills, AB 42 (Bryan) and AB 79 (Arambula), were signed into law, advancing equity and access for thousands of students across the state.

Together, these victories represent a powerful step toward a California where no student must choose between staying in school and meeting their basic needs.

AB 42 (Bryan): Ending “Benefits Displacement” for Students

Signed into law this fall, AB 42 (Bryan) formally ends “Benefits Displacement” in California — a practice that penalized students by reducing their public benefits when they received scholarships, grants, or fellowships.

With AB 42 now turned into law, all student financial aid — including grants, awards, fellowships, and scholarships — is exempt from being counted as income when determining eligibility for programs like CalFresh or CalWORKs. This ensures that students can access the full benefits they qualify for while also receiving the financial aid they’ve earned.

This win was years in the making. As a principal co-sponsor, uAspire led coalition building and organizing alongside our partners at the Western Center on Law & Poverty and the Coalition of California Welfare Rights Organizations. Together, we built a coalition of over 20 organizations in support of AB 42, provided lead testimony at key hearings, and hosted our first-ever uAspire Advocacy Day in California to rally student and community voices behind this critical bill.

AB 42 reflects uAspire’s deepening commitment to ensuring that all students — particularly those from low-income and mixed-status backgrounds — can pursue higher education without losing access to essential supports.

AB 79 (Arambula): Strengthening the Basic Needs Support Network

Just days later, AB 79 (Arambula) was also signed into law, marking another major victory for student well-being and coordination across California’s higher education system.

Building on the foundation of AB 1326 (Arambula, 2021), which required every county to appoint a higher education liaison, AB 79 takes the next step by establishing a statewide knowledge-sharing network connecting campus basic needs coordinators with county liaisons.

This network will ensure that students receive consistent, equitable access to critical resources like CalFresh and CalWORKs, regardless of which county or campus they call home. The bill also directs the California Department of Social Services to update regulations and strengthen coordination between counties and colleges — closing long-standing gaps that have left some students unsupported.

uAspire was proud to work alongside the California Association of Food Banks, the Coalition of California Welfare Rights Organizations, and the Center for Healthy Communities to champion this effort and make AB 79 a reality.

A Year of Impact and Momentum

The passage of AB 42 and AB 79 marks yet another defining moment in uAspire’s policy and advocacy work and builds on our track record of expanding student basic needs, including California’s hallmark legislation (and our co-sponsored bill) AB 2033 (Reyes) that was signed into law last year. While there is still work ahead to ensure successful implementation, these victories reaffirm uAspire’s leadership in building a more equitable higher education system — one where every student can thrive without sacrificing their basic needs.

We extend our deepest gratitude to our partners, advocates, and student leaders who made these wins possible. Together, we’re reimagining what it means to support students — not just in the classroom, but in every aspect of their journey.