Currently, many immigrants are excluded from CalFresh and the state-funded California Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Federal laws exclude undocumented immigrants, DACA recipients, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders, and certain visa holders from CalFresh. Food4All would expand CFAP eligibility to anyone excluded from CalFresh solely due to their immigration status.

Intersection: Immigration Rights

Fact Sheet

Food4All Budget Request:

Ask: $284 million in 2023-2024 budget to fully fund Food4All to expand CFAP nutrition benefits to California immigrants of all ages.

Budget champion: Asm. Santiago

This bill addresses college hunger by codifying the regulations issued by the Department of Social Services (CDSS) at the recommendation of the workgroup established by AB 1930 (Skinner, 2014) which sought to make CalFresh benefits more accessible to eligible college students. It will also set a new workgroup to address the remaining problems standing in the way of CalFresh participation for eligible college students. 

Intersection: College Hunger

Fact Sheet

This bill requires CSAC to notify students that may be eligible for CalFresh benefits as well as provides community colleges incentive payments to help students apply and get CalFresh benefits. Additionally, this bill requires the Chancellor of California Community Colleges to create a form for students/admin to verify exemptions. It also maintains the work study exemption post COVID.

Intersection: College Hunger

Fact Sheet

Intersection: College Hunger

Fact Sheet

AB 1965 will establish the CARET program to provided benefits for individuals who lost CalFresh eligibility due to the ABAWD time limit. This bill will also allow this population to continue accessing CalFresh Employment and Training programs to support work.

Fact Sheet

With this bill, whenever someone buys CA-grown fruits or vegetables, they get that amount refunded back onto their EBT card to spend on any CalFresh-allowable purchases.  

Intersections: Food Systems

Fact Sheet

California Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project Budget Request

Ask: $245 million in one-time funding to expand the program

Farmers' markets can currently accept CalFresh, however, the system is clunky, and stigmatizing. This bill would establish a noncompetitive grant program that would primarily provide dedicated EBT processing staff and EBT administrative support. This funding would be used to scale and provide EBT processes at existing farmers’ markets, establish EBT access at new certified markets in under-served low-income communities, and develop education and outreach efforts to local communities.

Intersection: Food Systems

Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet

San Diego Cosponsors:

Rep. Levin: Yes

Rep. Peters: Yes

Rep. Issa: No

Rep. Vargas: Yes

Rep. Jacobs: No

San Diego Cosponsors:

Rep. Levin: Yes

Rep. Peters: No

Rep. Issa: No

Rep. Vargas: Yes

Rep. Jacobs: Yes

San Diego Cosponsors:

Rep. Levin: Yes

Rep. Peters: Yes

Rep. Issa: No

Rep. Vargas: Yes

Rep. Jacobs: Yes

Under current law, immigrants with legal permanent resident (LPR) status must wait five years before being able to access critical supports like Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and SNAP/CalFresh.

Intersection: Immigration Rights

Fact Sheet

San Diego Cosponsors:

Rep. Levin: Yes

Rep. Peters: No

Rep. Issa: No

Rep. Vargas: Yes

Rep. Jacobs: Yes

Specifically, the bill considers a revised LCFF unduplicated pupil definition that would:

-Account for county poverty, foster, and homelessness status in an unduplicated way

-Raise the income threshold for meal reimbursement to a level closer to California’s CalGrant eligibility levels: 250 percent federal poverty level ($66,000 for a family of four).

-Increase the LCFF base funding for all students by 10% - double the proposed COLA.

Local Coauthor: Assemblymember Weber   

Fact Sheet 

This bill would require the department to seek all available funding for, and maximize participation in, the P-EBT program. The bill would also require the department to issue BOOST Nutrition EBT benefits for the 5-month period following the end of the P-EBT program using the same eligibility and issuance as the P-EBT program.

Local Coauthor: Senator Hueso

Intersection: P-EBT

Fact Sheet

Local Coauthor: Senator Hueso

Intersection: CACFP

Fact Sheet

Food with Care Bill Budget Request:

Ask: Provide the ongoing funding to ensure fair reimbursement and free meals for all kids through the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

Budget Champion: Asm. Wicks

If passed, schools could receive up to 20 cents for a plant-based food option and 10 cents for a plant-based milk option. This bill proposes to offer grants up to $100,000 to schools for training, equipment, and technical assistance needed to scale up, prioritizing schools with the highest percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

Intersection:  Food systems/climate

Fact Sheet

When schools are closed for more than 5 days and during summer and winter breaks, EBT benefits would be authorized for eligible households with balance worth the daily value of school lunch and breakfast up to a maximum of $123 a month per child. These benefit cards can be used to purchase food from stores that accept CalFresh.

Author: Representatives Mike Levin (D-CA)

Fact Sheet

San Diego Cosponsors:

Rep. Levin: Yes

Rep. Peters: Yes

Rep. Issa: No

Rep. Vargas: Yes

Rep. Jacobs: Yes

This bill would also increase school breakfast and school lunch reimbursements rates to match the recommended rates of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) School Nutrition and Meal Cost Study (April 2019) including a 30-cent/meal reimbursement for schools that procure local foods as well as provide. Additionally, this bill would expand Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) to all low-income children.

San Diego Cosponsors:

Rep. Levin: Yes

Rep. Peters: No

Rep. Issa: No

Rep. Vargas: Yes

Rep. Jacobs:  Yes

San Diego Cosponsors: 

Rep. Levin: Yes

Rep. Peters: No

Rep. Issa: No

Rep. Vargas: No

Rep. Jacobs:  Yes

The CalFood program enables food banks to purchase California grown foods to meet their communities' diverse needs.

Budget Champions: Sen. Laird champion; Asm. Wicks champion

Intersection: Food Bank/Food Systems

Fact Sheet

The fundamental feature of the State Disaster Food Assistance Program (SDFAP) is to ensure that there is an adequate resource to respond to California’s disasters that often force families to make life-saving decisions overnight with explosive fires and the threat of earthquakes. The federal response – if at all – is often designed to be a lagging support, such as Disaster CalFresh that is not always triggered and requires the restoration of commercial channels. The SDFAP fills these critical gaps in the food safety net.

Budget Champion: none so far

Fact Sheet