AB-2535 • 2026

School meals: State Healthy Food Access Policy.

Agriculture Children Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Gallagher
Last action: 2026-04-23
Official status: From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's summary and digest do not provide specific details on how state agencies must improve farm-to-fork infrastructure.

School Meals: Healthy Food Access Policy

This law changes California's food policy to include locally grown and raised healthy foods in school meals and other nutrition programs.

What This Bill Does

Revises the state’s food policy to say that everyone has a right to access sufficient affordable, healthy food that is locally grown or raised.
Requires specified state agencies to identify opportunities and strategies within existing resources to improve farm-to-fork infrastructure for public programs like school meals.
Requires the Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to consider this policy in their policies, guidelines, and procurement practices related to campus food services.

Who It Names or Affects

School districts, county superintendents, charter schools
State agencies involved with nutrition programs
California State University and Community Colleges

Terms To Know

Farm-to-fork infrastructure: The system that connects farms to the places where food is served, like schools or restaurants.
Ultraprocessed foods of concern: Foods that are highly processed and often not very healthy.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much funding will be provided for these changes.
It is unclear what specific actions state agencies must take to improve farm-to-fork infrastructure.

Bill History

2026-04-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-03-17 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.
2026-03-16 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. Read second time and amended.
2026-03-16 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HUM. S.
2026-02-21 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
2026-02-20 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 2535, as amended, Gallagher.
School meals:
California-grown agricultural and whole food products.
State Healthy Food Access Policy.
Existing law establishes various food assistance programs, including 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 declares that it is the established policy of the state that every human being has the right to access sufficient affordable and healthy food. Existing law requires all relevant state agencies, as specified, to consider this state policy when revising, adopting, or establishing policies, regulations, and grant criteria when those policies, regulations, and grant criteria are pertinent to the distribution of sufficient affordable
food.
This bill would revise that declaration to provide that every human being has the right to access sufficient affordable and healthy food that is locally grown and raised. The bill would require the specified state agencies to, within existing resources, identify opportunities and strategies to improve farm-to-fork infrastructure, including, but not limited to, in public programs, particularly school meals and other nutrition initiatives. The bill would require the Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, and encourage the Regents of the University of California, to consider that state policy in their policies, guidelines, and procurement practices related to campus food services and student nutrition.
Existing law requires a school district, county superintendent of schools, or charter school maintaining kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to make available a nutritionally adequate breakfast and a nutritionally adequate lunch, free of charge, during each schoolday to any pupil who requests a meal without consideration of the pupil’s eligibility for a federally funded free or reduced-price meal.
Existing law, beginning July 1, 2035, prohibits a school district, county superintendent of schools, or charter school maintaining kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, from offering a nutritionally adequate breakfast or lunch that includes restricted school foods or ultraprocessed foods of concern, as provided.
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact future
legislation to ensure that in reducing the consumption of ultraprocessed food by the children of California, the state promotes the inclusion of California-grown agricultural and whole food products in school meals, which are among the healthiest and most nutritious available, meeting the highest standards for quality, safety, and sustainability

Current Bill Text

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