Public Policy Updates: Spring Into Advocacy

Friday, March 27th, 2026

Spring is here, and with new legislation coming down the pipeline, we want to get these critical bills to the public for support. Here are the pieces of legislation that support food banks across California and ensure that we can grow with the rising needs of our neighbors who rely on food assistance.

CalFood

The CalFood Program enables food banks to purchase locally grown, nutritious items for their communities and has a baseline of $8 million annually. However, it has had additional multi-year funding since the pandemic to meet rising needs. We are asking for a new baseline to be set at $60 million ongoing, with an additional $50 million in one-time funding for 2026-2027 to help mitigate the effects of USDA/TEFAP cuts, along with the SNAP/CalFresh cuts from HR-1.

If Vetoed: Loss of 90% of current funding to food banks.

Support CalFood funding by signing the individual sign-on letter to your state representatives HERE.

AB 881

This bill extends the 15% Farmer to Food Bank Tax Credit for qualified food donations through 2032, reducing food waste and providing more items to food banks across the state. It also extends the Emergency Food For Families Voluntary Tax Contribution Fund, allowing residents to donate a portion of their tax return to food banks.

If Vetoed: both tax incentives would expire by 2027.

AB 2299 (CARET) Act

The California Antihunger Response and Employment Training (CARET) Act would establish state-funded food benefits for residents who have lost or seen a reduction in CalFresh benefits due to the new time limits in HR-1. Time limit changes begin on June 1st, 2026, limiting them to receiving benefits for only three months if employment isn't found within that timeframe.

If Vetoed: 610,000 individuals could lose CalFresh benefits

AB 1049

This bill removes Sponsoring Deeming for the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP), which is a complicated income requirement allowing a sponsor's income on a sponsored immigrant's application, regardless of whether they receive any financial support. This would eliminate sponsor-deeming requirements, improve access to food assistance, and simplify the application process for benefits.

If Vetoed: Sponsor Deeming would remain as is

AB 1734 (The Count Hunger Act)

This bill would require the State Department of Health to establish a two-year pilot program, in collaboration with the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), to ensure that certain questions about food insecurity are funded and covered in the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS). AB 1734 aims to understand the needs of our communities and was put forward to help replace the terminated USDA-funded Household Food Security Reports.

SB 961

The Supplemental Food Assistance Program (SNAP), known as CalFresh in California, is the most effective hunger-relief program in the nation, but has systemically had low rates of college students enrolled in monthly benefits. This bill aims to target outreach at universities to ensure that students in need have the knowledge and access to resources to apply and receive benefits and improve educational outcomes.

Hunger can seem like a complicated issue, but streamlining the process to access food assistance for families in California doesn't have to be difficult. With these bills being passed, we can help secure a more stable future for our neighbors in need.

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