California OKs $600 stimulus payments for 5.7M people

SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers on Monday cleared the way for 5.7 million people to get at least $600 in one-time payments, part of a state-sized Coronavirus relief package aimed at helping lower-income people weather what they hope is the last legs of the pandemic.

The state Legislature passed the bill by a wide margin on Monday, moving faster than their counterparts in Congress who are also considering another round of stimulus checks for the nation.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said he will sign it into law on Tuesday. People who are eligible for the money should get it at between 45 days and 60 days after receiving their state tax refunds, according to the Franchise Tax Board.

One of those people is Judy Jackson, a 75-year-old former teacher and cancer survivor who lives off of about $1,000 a month from other government programs. Jackson said she would use part the money to pay off a freezer she bought so she could have food delivered to her home and avoid going out to shop for groceries during the pandemic.

“Most months I’m worried at the end of the month whether the money is going to run out before the month does,” said Jackson, who said she is at higher risk for COVID-19 because of her age and a number of underlying health conditions. “This will make it possible to have a little extra and maybe buy an ice cream occasionally.”

The stimulus payments are part of a broader aid package the state Legislature approved Monday worth $7.6 billion. It includes more than $2 billion in grants for small businesses, waives about $25.6 million worth of business fees for struggling restaurants and hair salons and provides $30 million in aid for food banks and another $5 million for diaper banks.