Alex Lee

Existing federal law establishes the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. Existing law establishes a statewide electronic benefits transfer (EBT) system, administered by the State Department of Social Services, for the purpose of providing financial and food assistance benefits, including CalFresh benefits. Existing law establishes the California Fruit and Vegetable EBT Pilot Project, and requires the department, in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture and specified stakeholders, to include within the EBT system a supplemental benefits mechanism that allows an authorized retailer to deliver and redeem supplemental benefits. Existing law repeals the pilot project on January 1, 2027.

This bill would rename the pilot project as the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Supplemental Benefits Program, and would delete the repeal of these provisions, thereby making the program operative indefinitely. The bill would also specify how the department is required to allocate the funding provided for the program, and would require the department to quarterly publish certain data on program utilization on its internet website.