California Code, Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 11327.41

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, a person shall not be subject to the sanctions specified in Section 11327.5 unless the county verifies that the person had childcare available at the time they were supposed to participate in a specified welfare-to-work activity.

(b) Prior to imposing sanctions pursuant to Section 11327.5, the county shall confirm that it provided the participant a request form and the reimbursement rules for childcare supportive services and that, if eligible for childcare supportive services, the participant had secured childcare.

(c) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), the department may implement, interpret, or make specific this section by means of all-county letters or similar written instructions from the department until regulations are adopted.  These all-county letters or similar instructions shall have the same force and effect as regulations until the adoption of regulations.

(d) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2026, or, if automation is necessary, the later of July 1, 2026, or on the date the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement this section.