São Paulo Legislature Approves Major Reform of Social Assistance Policy

The São Paulo Legislative Assembly has approved Project Law 1048/2025, a significant reform that restructures the state's social assistance system, known as Sistema Único de Assistência Social (Suas). The reform, passed during an extraordinary session on October 18, consolidates existing laws and centralizes coordination of Suas under the Secretary of Social Development (Seds). This centralization empowers Seds to expand social services, better integrate programs, and assess social demands more effectively.

Key elements of the law include the establishment of social control mechanisms and the creation of deliberative bodies, notably the Bipartite Inter-manager Committee, which facilitates cooperation between state and municipal Suas managers. Additionally, the State Council of Social Assistance (Conseas) will be streamlined, reducing its membership from 24 to 18 members. The law also introduces a co-financing model between the state and municipalities for managing and delivering social assistance services.

The legislative process incorporated 21 amendments proposed by parliamentarians. Despite these efforts, criticism arose from Deputy Monica Seixas, who highlighted the law’s shortcomings regarding limited public participation and its failure to fully address the distinct needs of vulnerable groups. Conversely, Deputy Gilmaci Santos defended the reform as timely and necessary, pointing to public hearings and amendments that enhanced the law’s comprehensiveness.

This reform aims to strengthen the legal framework and improve the efficiency of social assistance services in São Paulo, addressing the complexities of modern social welfare management while sparking debate over inclusivity and participation in policymaking.