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AB-936 • 2026

CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Supplemental Benefits Program.

CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Supplemental Benefits Program.

Agriculture
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Lee
Last action
2026-02-02
Official status
From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify how much extra money people will get for fruits and vegetables, leaving this detail uncertain.

CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Supplemental Benefits Program

This law changes a pilot project into a permanent program that gives extra money for buying fruits and vegetables through CalFresh, which is California's food assistance program.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the name of an existing pilot project to the 'CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Supplemental Benefits Program'.
  • Makes sure the program continues indefinitely instead of ending in 01/01/2027.
  • Specifies how money for the program should be used.
  • Requires the State Department of Social Services to share information about how many people use this program every three months.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who get CalFresh benefits and want to buy more fruits and vegetables.
  • The State Department of Social Services, which runs the EBT system for food assistance in California.

Terms To Know

CalFresh
California's name for a federal program that helps people buy food by giving them extra money to spend at grocery stores.
EBT system
A way of getting government benefits, like CalFresh, using an electronic card similar to a debit card.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much extra money people will get for fruits and vegetables.
  • It is unclear if the program will be funded beyond its current budget.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-02 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

  2. 2026-01-31 California Legislative Information

    Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.

  3. 2025-05-23 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Held under submission.

  4. 2025-04-30 California Legislative Information

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.

  5. 2025-03-26 California Legislative Information

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  6. 2025-03-03 California Legislative Information

    Referred to Com. on HUM. S.

  7. 2025-02-20 California Legislative Information

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.

  8. 2025-02-19 California Legislative Information

    Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 936, as introduced, Lee.
CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable Supplemental Benefits Program.
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.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Download Bill PDF