SB-1077 • 2026

CalFresh: federal government shutdowns.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Gonzalez
Last action: 2026-05-26
Official status: Referred to Com. on HUM. S.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text does not provide specific details on funding or cost estimates for implementing these requirements.

CalFresh: Federal Government Shutdowns

This law requires California's Department of Social Services to provide information and develop plans for CalFresh benefits during federal government shutdowns.

What This Bill Does

Requires the State Department of Social Services to maintain a clearly marked landing page on its website with updates on how CalFresh benefits are affected by federal government shutdowns, including status information and benefit availability.
Needs the department to work with stakeholders to create a strategic communications plan that includes notifications for CalFresh participants and daily briefings for local officials, agencies, organizations, and retailers during federal government shutdowns affecting CalFresh disbursements.
Requires the department to develop an emergency mechanism through the existing electronic benefits transfer system to quickly provide nutrition benefits on an emergency basis when federal government shutdowns affect CalFresh.

Who It Names or Affects

People who receive CalFresh benefits in California
Local and state officials, local government agencies, community organizations, and participating retailers

Terms To Know

CalFresh: California's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that helps people buy food.
Disaster SNAP: A program that gives short-term food assistance to people affected by disasters.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify the cost or funding source for these new requirements.
It is unclear if this law will be needed since federal government shutdowns are rare and unpredictable.

Bill History

2026-05-26 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on HUM. S.
2026-05-20 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.
2026-05-19 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 38. Noes 0.) Ordered to the Assembly.
2026-05-14 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2026-05-14 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (May 14).
2026-05-08 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing May 14.
2026-04-20 California Legislative Information
April 20 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2026-04-10 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 20.
2026-04-07 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 0. Page 3741.) (April 6). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2026-03-26 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 6.
2026-03-25 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
2026-03-16 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
2026-02-26 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on RLS.
2026-02-17 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 16.
2026-02-13 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 1077, as amended, Gonzalez.
Disaster CalFresh.
CalFresh: federal government shutdowns.
Existing federal law provides for the 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 federal law, through Disaster SNAP, provides for short-term food assistance benefits to eligible households who are victims of a disaster that disrupts commercial channels of food distribution.
Existing state law requires the State Department of Social Services to identify the necessary elements of a county disaster plan, to issue guidance to county human services agencies, and to offer training on Disaster CalFresh, as specified. Existing law requires the department to maintain
updated Disaster CalFresh materials, including, but not limited to, state and county disaster plans, Disaster CalFresh applications, the Disaster CalFresh internet website, and a Disaster CalFresh outreach flyer in all required languages.
This bill would make a technical, nonsubstantive change to those provisions.
This bill would, during a federal government shutdown that impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits, require the State Department of Social Services to maintain a clearly marked landing page on the department’s internet website to provide the public with information on how their benefits will be impacted, including information on status of the federal government shutdown and the availability of benefits. The bill would also require the department, in coordination with
stakeholders, to establish a strategic communications plan for use during a federal government shutdown that impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits that includes notifications for CalFresh participants and daily emergency response briefings for local and state officials, local government agencies, community organizations, and participating retailers, as specified.
The bill would require the department to develop a benefit issuance mechanism to allow the department flexibility to rapidly provide nutrition benefits on an emergency basis in response to a federal government shutdown that impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits, and would require the mechanism to be designed to issue nutrition benefits through the existing electronic benefits transfer system and in a manner that can target various populations depending on the purpose of the specific benefit.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

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