On Canoga Park sidewalks, the people handing out meals, blankets and medical care say a constant worry has finally eased. A new state law, SB 634, now shields frontline volunteers and nonprofit staff from being cited or fined for delivering basic services to people living outdoors. For groups like Hope the Mission, workers report they feel less afraid to show up during storms and city sweeps, knowing that helping unhoused neighbors is no longer something that can be treated like a crime.
What the law does
The chaptered bill adds Section 53069.44 to the Government Code and blocks local jurisdictions from adopting or enforcing ordinances that prohibit a person or organization from providing "support services," including legal or medical care, according to LegiScan. The measure says a local jurisdiction may not bar groups or neighbors from offering assistance to someone who is homeless, and it was approved by the governor as Chapter 521, Statutes of 2025. The law’s text presents the change as a statewide rule aimed at stopping local policies that would criminalize outreach work.
How "basic survival" is defined
The statute spells out an "act related to basic survival" to include, among other things, "provision of food and water" and "sleeping, including provision of blankets and pillows," language supporters say was written to stop ordinances that would penalize routine aid, according to LegiScan. The bill also clarifies that the definition does not cover distribution of heavy construction materials like plywood.
Why lawmakers moved now
Lawmakers advanced the measure after a 2024 U.S. Supreme Court decision narrowed limits on enforcing public camping rules, City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, and amid high profile local efforts to punish people who assist unhoused residents. Reporting from CalMatters notes SB 634 took effect Jan. 1, 2026, and that actions like Fremont's brief attempt to criminalize aiding encampments helped spur lawmakers to act. Supporters argued the statute needed to set a statewide floor so outreach groups would not be chilled by local crackdowns.
Local reaction
For outreach teams on the ground, the shift is not just theoretical. Marnie De La Cruz, who said she was once homeless, described the law as a relief, and a local man known as Don told reporters, "If it wasn't for them, I don't know what we do." Those comments were reported by ABC7.
Support and pushback
Advocacy groups and legal organizations praised the bill. The Western Center on Law & Poverty and other advocates said it protects lifesaving outreach and legal services, according to a Western Center on Law & Poverty press release. Some cities, however, warned the law could limit local tools to manage sanitation and public safety. CalMatters reported pushback from municipalities including Corona, La Verne and San Bernardino County.
How it will play out
Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez's office, which authored the bill, says the law applies to all cities, including charter cities, and treats outreach protections as a statewide concern, according to Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez's legislative page. Local agencies will still enforce public health and safety laws, but advocates say the new statewide floor should reduce arrests or fines tied solely to offering basic aid.
For now, outreach teams in Los Angeles say they will keep showing up where they are needed, and advocates expect the law to be the touchstone in future clashes between local sweep orders and the helpers who respond to them.
