Frank

Defendants John Frank, in his capacity as Director of the Humboldt County Department of Health and Social Services, and the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors (the County) appeal from the trial court’s order granting the motion of plaintiffs Welfare Rights and eight individuals (plaintiffs) to enforce a consent decree. The County asserts that a 1992 statutory amendment nullifying a portion of the 1989 consent decree is valid and enforceable and, therefore, that plaintiffs are no longer entitled to seek enforcement of that portion of the consent decree. We agree and reverse.

I. Factual and Procedural Background

On October 29, 1982, plaintiffs commenced a class action for injunctive and declaratory relief against the County. Plaintiffs’ complaint alleged that the County’s general assistance grant levels were “inadequate to provide a decent and healthful standard of living to recipients in Humboldt County and thus constitute a violation by [the County] of Welfare and Institutions Code, section 17000.’’ Plaintiffs sought to enjoin the County from providing general assistance grants “in an amount less than what is reasonably calculated as necessary to obtain the currently…