AB 2161: Bill to Block Work Requirements for State-Funded Undocumented Medi-Cal Coverage
Oakland Democrat Mia Bonta introduced AB 2161, which would prohibit California from imposing federal work requirements on individuals whose Medi-Cal coverage is entirely state-funded — including undocumented immigrants. This is separate from SB 1422 (Durazo's bill to restore full Medi-Cal eligibility).
Both face uncertain prospects given the state's budget deficit. If passed, AB 2161 would protect ~1.5M undocumented Californians whose coverage comes from state general funds, not federal Medicaid matching.
Part of
- California's state-only Medi-Cal coverage
- Medicaid work-requirement implementation
California's implementation
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FQHC Talent. (2026, March 9). AB 2161: Bill to Block Work Requirements for State-Funded Undocumented Medi-Cal Coverage. Source: CalMatters. Retrieved September 28, 2026, from https://www.fqhctalent.com/intel/ab-2161-block-work-requirements-undocumented-state-funded
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