Local, state, and federal government is working hard to address the needs of citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. New legislation and policy updates are coming out of city, state, and national capitols at an incredibly fast pace.

San Diego Hunger Coalition will provide regular updates on COVID policy and legislation on this page. Check back often for the latest out of San Diego, Sacramento, and Washington D.C.

Update - November 3, 2020 - **THE PUBLIC CHARGE RULE IS STILL IN EFFECT** Earlier this week, the Northern District of Illinois issued a decision vacating the Department of Homeland Security’s public charge regulations nationwide. Unfortunately, this morning, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the decision pending its appeal, meaning that the DHS public charge rule can now be implemented while litigation continues.

Update - October 19, 2020 - Federal courts have struck down the new SNAP (CalFresh) policy for Able Bodied Adults Without Dependents which would have deprived over 700,000 Americans of SNAP food assistance. This rule will not go into effect at this time, although the court decision might be appealed. We will keep you updated.

Update - September 2, 2020 - Public charge is currently in effect in California. The nationwide preliminary injunction that blocked the rule during the pandemic no longer applies to California. Learn more about the changes to public charge at sdhunger.org/safe.

Please note: Most people who are eligible for CalFresh are not subject to the Public Charge Rule. A child or someone else in your household will not affect your status.

H.R. 8337, the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 & Other Extensions Act

UPDATE:

The Continuing resolution was signed into law by the President on September 30, 2020. The included food assistance provisions remained intact at the time of his signing!

The United States House of Representatives has pass a bi-partisan continuing resolution that does several things to fight hunger during COVID-19:

  1. Extends the Pandemic-EBT (P-EBT) program that provides additional money for groceries for children who are eligible and enrolled in the Free or Reduced Price School Meals Program.

  2. Gives the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) the authority to extend certain policies and waivers that make it easier for schools to safely serve meals to every child during the pandemic.

  3. Gives the USDA the authority to extend certain policies and waivers that make it easier for Americans to enroll in SNAP/CalFresh.

These extensions will be in effect through the end of the Federal Fiscal Year 2021. The authorities given to the USDA do not automatically extend the policies and waivers in question, it merely gives the department the ability to do so. Learn more at https://frac.org/news/hr-cr-hunger.

Please note: This bill must still pass through the Senate and be signed by the President prior to going into effect. Political experts believe this is very likely. We will update you here as the continuing resolution moves forward.

Pandemic Child Hunger Prevention Act

The United States House of Representatives introduced a new bill on July 30, 2020 that would extend Universal Free Meals to every school-attending child in America. This bill would make every child temporarily eligible for free school meals during the 2020-2021 school year in an effort to address the alarming rise of child food insecurity related to the COVID-19 pandemic. You can learn more about this bill by reading the official Fact Sheet. San Diego Hunger Coalition will provide updates as they become available.

SD Hunger Coalition Advocates for Easier SNAP/CalFresh During Pandemic

San Diego Hunger Coalition is the primary author of a letter sent to federal elected officials asking them to urge the USDA to reverse a decision to decline the extension of a waiver that would allow the state to suspend interviews for CalFresh applications and recertifications during the COVID-19 crisis. This waiver is currently set to expire on August 31st.

The letter was signed onto by 35 hunger relief organizations and sent to Senators Harris and Feinstein, Speaker Pelosi, and Minority Leader McCarthy. You can read the letter HERE and we encourage you to contact your senators and representatives to ask them to continue championing effective hunger relief in California.

San Diego Hunger Coalition Takes Action:
Reducing Inequities and Expanding Home Delivered Meals to Older Adults

In response to Governor Newsom’s March 19, 2020 stay-at-home order, the California Office of Emergency Services developed the Great Plates Delivered Program to ensure that older and high-risk Californians have regular access to prepared meals delivered by local restaurants.

This program is an innovative and proactive approach to supporting local economies while fighting food insecurity. However, San Diego Hunger Coalition harbors some concerns about certain restrictions which may lead to inequitable food assistance.

For more information, please read our statement on the Great Plates Delivered Program.

Issue Brief: California’s COVID-19 Response Must Include Specific Funding for School Nutrition Services

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, federal funds from the Families First Act and CARES act have been made available to increase food security in San Diego County through CalFresh, senior meals, and food distribution. To date, however, little attention has been given to the free and reduced-price school meal program that still operates at nearly every school district in the County.

This issue brief takes a look at how and why the COVID-19 response must support school nutrition services.

Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act

On May 12, 2020, Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats introduced the House’s version of the fourth COVID-10 reponse package, H.R. 6800, the HEROES Act. The bill provides significant relief for struggling individuals and families. The Food Research and Action Center provides us with an analysis and synopsis of what the bill contains.

Update: The HEROES Act was passed in the House of Representatives on 5/15/2020.

Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2020

The Closing the Meal Gap Act of 2020 was introduced by Senators Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders, and Kirsten Gillibrand. If passed, it would increase SNAP benefits for households, increase the minimum amount a recipient would receive, eliminates the Able Bodied Adult Without Dependents time limit (3 months in a 36 month period), and make SNAP entitlements available to U.S. territories.

San Diego Hunger Coalition has endorsed this bill.

HR 6201 - Families First Coronavirus Response Act

On March 18, 2020, the President signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act which greatly increased access to food assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic. California Food Policy Advocates has a great breakdown of the bill and what it means for those in need.

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act

March 27, 2020 - The $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was signed into law today by the President of the United States. It is the third COVID-19 response bills aimed at stoking the dormant U.S. economy and was passed on widely bipartisan lines. The Center on Budget & Policy Priorities has a great breakdown.

Included in this bill is a stimulus payment to households. This includes up to $1,200/adult and $500/child. You can learn more on The Motley Fool website.

 

Suspend school Meal Debt

The Suspend School Meal Debt bill, sponsored by Representative Omar Ilhan, would suspend the collection and late fees associated with school meal debt. It would cancel all meal debt for families, and it would require the USDA to reimburse each school for the lost meal payments.

San Diego Hunger Coalition has endorsed this bill.

 

Changes to Youth Meals Policies

4/27/2020: On Friday, April 24, 2020, the State of California was approved to operate Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT). This program, authorized by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, will provide non-cash benefits on an EBT card for families with children enrolled in the Free and Reduced Price Meal Program. The benefit will offset the cost of meals that would have otherwise been consumed at school. More information on this program, how and when it will be implemented in our region is forthcoming.

04/14/2020: There are several new waivers that have been approved by the State of California to make it easier to serve and receive meals for kids in need. As of this date, there are currently 12 total waivers. Please download the USDA Waivers Infographic (4/1/2020) for details and next steps.

Changes to CalFresh Policies

04/08/2020: The USDA has approved California to join the SNAP Online Pilot Program. Soon, Calfresh recipients will be able to use their EBT cards to purchase groceries online at approved web retailers. More details to come.

04/02/2020: To increase food benefits in response to COVID-19, the California Department of Social Services will temporarily increase benefits to current recipients through an emergency allotment.

04/02/2020: Effective April 1, 2020, the vast majority of initial CalFresh application interviews have been waived in San Diego County and are not required through May 31, 2020.

  • All new applications that provide verification of identity and all other mandatory information will be processed without an interview. Mandatory information includes:

    • Applicant’s identity

    • Any gross income

    • If applicable, immigration status and/or child support payments

  • Incomplete applications may require additional follow-up; however, when all mandatory information and verifications are on file, an interview is not required for the case to be processed.

  • Scheduled phone interviews will be used only when information on an application is extremely questionable and eligibility cannot be determined or established otherwise.

CalWORKS intake interviews are still required, but can be completed over the phone through the end of May.

03/16/2020: Governor Newsome issued an executive order to protect safety net services in California. The order waves eligibility re-determination for 90 days. If you or a someone you know is due to re-certify or provide asemi-annual report to maintain CalFresh benefits, SAR 7s and recertification reports are not currently required. All current recipients will continue to receive will continue to receive CalFresh benefits uninterrupted for the next 90 days. Calfresh recipients with an Income Reporting Threshold (IRT) are still required to report income changes, if their income exceeds their household’s IRT, within 10 days from the date of change.

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