AB-1476 • 2026

Meal program: senior citizens.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Wallis
Last action: 2025-10-03
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 302, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on funding or participation rates, nor does it specify potential impacts on health benefits.

Meal Program for Senior Citizens

This law changes how meal programs for senior citizens work in California, allowing meals to be picked up and eaten at home or virtually instead of only being served in-person.

What This Bill Does

Changes the way meal projects must provide food to seniors aged 60 and older.
Allows meals to be given out for pickup and consumed elsewhere, not just served in a dining room setting.

Who It Names or Affects

Senior citizens who are eligible for meal programs in California.
The California Department of Aging which oversees nutrition projects for seniors.

Terms To Know

Nutrition Reserve Fund: A fund used to support existing nutrition services and lend money to senior nutrition projects.
McCarthy-Kennick Nutrition Program for the Elderly Act of 1972: A law that established a program to provide meals and other nutritional assistance to elderly people in California.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how meal programs will be funded or what happens if fewer seniors participate due to the changes.
It is unclear whether this change will affect the overall health benefits of the meal program for senior citizens.

Bill History

2025-10-03 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 302, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-03 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-24 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
2025-09-12 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 80. Noes 0. Page 3421.).
2025-09-12 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-11 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2932.).
2025-09-09 California Legislative Information
Ordered to special consent calendar.
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 29).
2025-07-14 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2025-07-01 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-06-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-02 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 1934.)
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 14. Noes 0.) (May 23).
2025-04-30 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
2025-04-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 22). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-23 California Legislative Information
Coauthors revised.
2025-03-13 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on AGING & L.T.C.
2025-02-24 California Legislative Information
Read first time.
2025-02-22 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.
2025-02-21 California Legislative Information
Introduced. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 1476, Wallis.
Meal program: senior citizens.
Existing law establishes the California Department of Aging within the California Health and Human Services Agency. Existing law authorizes the department to make specified funds available for nutrition projects serving the needs of individuals 60 years of age or older and their spouses, as specified. Existing law, the McCarthy-Kennick Nutrition Program for the Elderly Act of 1972, among other things, establishes the Nutrition Reserve Fund for the purpose of maintaining existing nutrition services and lending moneys to senior nutrition projects, as specified. Existing law requires the California Commission on Aging, with the approval of the Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, to develop and submit to the federal government a state plan for implementing the federal Older Americans Act of 1965, as amended, by May 1 of each year. Existing law requires the state plan
to include the establishment of projects that provide at least one hot meal per day for 5 or more days per week, and any additional meals that the agency or organization elects to provide, that ensure recommended dietary allowances.
This bill would instead require that the projects provide those meals either served in an in-person setting, or provided for to-go pickup to be consumed in a virtual congregate setting by eligible individuals, and removes the requirements that any additional meals provided have to ensure recommended dietary allowances.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF