BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — County officials estimate that as many as 50,000 residents could be affected by the changes, which tighten eligibility requirements for safety net programs that provide health coverage and food assistance to low-income individuals.
“From being homeless to readapting in society is already hard enough,” said Shelly Redden, a Kern County resident who relies on Medi-Cal and food banks after recently overcoming homelessness.
Redden, who now faces a pending disability, said the proposed requirements could create additional barriers.
“I’m not able to just get up and go do things like regular people do and it’s going to impact me a lot sometimes I can’t even get out of bed without help so to volunteer that’s going to be an added stress factor,” she said.
The changes stem from HR 1, a federal measure passed under what has been referred to as the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
The law introduces stricter rules for adults between the ages of 18 and 65, requiring at least 80 hours of work, education, or volunteer activity per month to maintain eligibility for certain benefits.
In addition to work requirements, officials say recipients will face more frequent eligibility reviews, increasing the risk of losing coverage due to missed paperwork or deadlines.
“The H.R. 1 changed that know having to do the redetermination every six months so people are not used to it and they could lose there coverage if they don’t fill the paper work so we are going to try to make it as easy as possible,” said Elsa Martinez, a Kern County official.
County leaders emphasized that not all recipients will be impacted and say efforts are underway to minimize disruptions and help residents remain eligible.
“It’s those individuals that don’t work, that don’t go to school or don’t volunteer or don’t do any community engagement that the HR 1 is looking for individuals that don’t go to work or go to school or volunteer so we are hoping that we can shrink that number to a very small number,” Martinez said.
Still, for residents like Redden, the uncertainty is already causing concern.
“My concerns I have a lot that I’m not going to be able to afford the food and I’ll be having to rely on food pantries and I’m barely getting out as it is,” she said.
The changes are expected to roll out during the 2026–2027 fiscal year. County officials are urging residents to stay informed and keep up with any updates to avoid disruptions in coverage.
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