SB-1325 • 2026

CalFood Program.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Jones
Last action: 2026-04-23
Official status: From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 3. Noes 0.) (April 20).
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation includes claims that the official source does not support or specifies as nonsubstantive.

CalFood Program Expansion

The CalFood Program will provide food and funding for emergency food distribution to additional California-based food banks that are members of Feeding America or the California Association of Food Banks.

What This Bill Does

Expands the CalFood Program to include food banks that are members of Feeding America or the California Association of Food Banks.
Requires these additional food banks to receive food and financial support from the CalFood Program.

Who It Names or Affects

People who rely on emergency food services in California.
Food banks that are part of Feeding America or the California Association of Food Banks.

Terms To Know

CalFood Program: A program run by the State Department of Social Services to provide food and funding for emergency food distribution.
EBT system: An electronic benefits transfer system used to distribute financial and food assistance benefits to needy Californians.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much additional funding will be provided.
It is unclear if there are any limits on the number of new food banks that can join the program.

Bill History

2026-04-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 3. Noes 0.) (April 20).
2026-04-09 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 20.
2026-04-08 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.
2026-03-25 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.
2026-03-04 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on RLS.
2026-02-23 California Legislative Information
Read first time.
2026-02-23 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 23.
2026-02-20 California Legislative Information
Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 1325, as amended, Jones.
Electronic Benefits Transfer Act.
CalFood Program.
Existing law establishes the CalFood Program, administered by the State Department of Social Services, and requires the CalFood Program to provide food and funding for the provision of emergency food to food banks established pursuant to the federal Emergency Food Assistance Program whose ongoing primary function is to facilitate the distribution of food to low-income households, as specified.
This bill would additionally require the CalFood Program to provide food and funding for the provision of emergency food to food banks that are members of the nonprofit organization Feeding America that are based in California or members of the California Association
of Food Banks, as specified.
Existing law provides for financial and food assistance benefits to needy Californians, including, among other programs, the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program and CalFresh, under which each county provides for financial and food assistance benefits to qualified individuals who meet specified eligibility criteria. Existing law, administered by the State Department of Social Services, provides for the establishment of a statewide electronic benefits transfer (EBT) system for the purpose of providing those financial and food assistance benefits. Existing law allows an interested collective group or association of produce sellers that is Food and Nutrition Service-authorized and in a flea market, farmers’ market, or certified farmers’ market to initiate and operate an EBT acceptance system in the market, as specified, and makes related findings and
declarations. Under existing law, an individual seller may operate their own individual EBT acceptance activity as part of that seller’s personal business customer transaction offering.
This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF