The Almanac-
A new California bill is proposing that young adults aging out of the foster youth system receive $1,000 no-strings-attached monthly checks from the state, providing stability to residents at high risk of homelessness and unemployment.
Authored by state Sen. Dave Cortese (D-San Jose), SB 739, if approved, would pilot a statewide universal basic income (UBI) program providing $1,000 per month to residents exiting the foster care system at age 21. The program would last for three years, and is intended to be a stop-gap measure for people who age out of foster care and lose social support services.
The program is hardly universal — about 3,000 people a year would be eligible — but it follows the same framework of UBI pilots that have gained traction across the country in recent years. The monthly checks can be spent however recipients see fit, and are intended to provide a reliable cash cushion for those who would otherwise be facing financial instability.
The California Right 