California Beats Congress to Deliver Stimulus Checks, 5.7 Million Will Get Extra $600

California state legislators passed a bill approving $600 stimulus checks for nearly 5.7 million people on Monday. In doing so, they beat U.S. legislators who have not yet approved a plan for issuing $1,400 stimulus checks to U.S. residents in need.

California’s checks are part of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom‘s $9.6 billion stimulus package meant to help the state recover from the COVID-related economic downturn. He and legislative leaders announced the package last Wednesday. Newsom is expected to sign the bill into law by Tuesday.

The $600 checks will be available to Californians who are eligible for the earned income tax credit (EITC), including non-citizens who possess federal Individual Tax Identification Numbers (ITINs) but weren’t eligible for $1,200 federal relief payments sent in 2020, according to Bloomberg News.

“The agreement would provide the $600 payments to households with ITINs and income below $75,000,” Newsom said in a statement issued Wednesday. “ITIN taxpayers who also qualify for the California EITC would receive a total of $1,200. The payments will be provided to these households shortly after they file their 2020 tax returns.”

Comparatively, the U.S. Congress is still in the process of considering the $1,400 stimulus checks that are part of President Joe Biden‘s $1.9 trillion stimulus package.

The checks themselves have become contentious among congressional lawmakers, with some Republicans calling the direct payments too costly.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.