AB 2765 — CalFresh and CalWORKs: childhood hunger and foster youth.

Summary

Existing federal law establishes 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 limits a participant who is an able-bodied adult without dependents (ABAWD) to 3 months of CalFresh benefits in a 3-year period unless that participant has met work participation requirements or is otherwise exempt. Existing state law requires the State Department of Social Services to annually seek a federal waiver of this limitation. Existing state law requires the department to ensure that all recipients subject to the federal ABAWD time limit are permitted to meet the work requirements of the time limit through all forms of work, as specified. Existing federal law, Public Law 119-21, enacted on July 4, 2025, sets forth various changes to SNAP benefits, including the removal of an exemption from the time limit for certain former foster youth under 25 years of age, and the narrowing of an exemption for a household with a dependent under 18 years of age to instead a household with a dependent under 14 years of age, as specified. This bill would specify that an ABAWD participant includes a parent or other member of a household with responsibility for a dependent child 14 years of age or older as a result of Public Law 119-21. The bill would make various statements of legislative intent relating to, among other things, maximizing efforts to retain in the program as many eligible CalFresh recipients as possible, providing for the continuation of food benefits, mitigating harm, and streamlining the verification of exemptions for certain populations, in response to Public Law 119-21, as specified. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature that all exemptions provided by the state and the counties under Public Law 119-21, to the extent permitted by federal law and guidance, remain in effect for any recipient until, at the earliest, the next scheduled redetermination for that recipient, when the exemption is reassessed by the county, unless the automated exemption at redetermination allows for the exemption to continue. The bill would state legislative intent that a recipient not be discontinued from the CalFresh program due to the ABAWD work requirements under Public Law 119-21 before October 1, 2026, or until specified administrative activities are complete, whichever is later. The bill would generally require the department to provide data to certain legislative committees and all 58 county welfare departments on the total number of CalFresh recipients subject to, exempted from, or discontinued from the program potentially due to, the CalFresh ABAWD time limit and corresponding work requirements, as specified. Under the bill, prior to the first 2 reports, the data would be furnished to impacted counties with a minimum of 4 weeks for review prior to public reporting in order to ensure accuracy. The bill would also require the department to provide data on the total number of CalFresh recipients discontinued from the program, as specified. The bill would require the department to adopt, provide instructions to counties on, and automate for, compliance with CalFresh work requirements, in accordance with federal law, for individuals participating in extended foster care and who have been determined to be working at least 80 hours per month. To the extent that the bill would increase CalFresh eligibility for certain populations and expand county duties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Existing law establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which, through a combination of federal, state, and county funds, each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families. Under existing law, in addition to specified CalWORKs aid amounts, a family is entitled to receive an allowance for recurring special needs relating to, among other things, food, utilities, and transportation. Under existing law, the allowance for each family per month is prohibited from exceeding that amount resulting from multiplying the sum of $10 by the number of recipients in the family who are eligible for assistance. This bill would increase the maximum threshold for the allowance by switching the factor from $10 to $15 within the formula. Existing law continuously appropriates moneys from the General Fund to defray a portion of county costs under the CalWORKs program. This bill would instead provide that the continuous appropriation would not be made for purposes of the bill. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Bill Text

• Chaptered 09/18/26 - Chaptered html September 18, 2026
• Amended 08/21/26 - Amended Senate html August 21, 2026
• Amended 08/13/26 - Amended Senate html August 13, 2026
• Amended 06/11/26 - Amended Senate Current pdf June 11, 2026
• Amended 04/13/26 - Amended Assembly pdf April 13, 2026
• Introduced 02/20/26 - Introduced pdf February 20, 2026
• AB2765 View text html

Action History

1. September 18, 2026

   Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 310, Statutes of 2026.

2. September 18, 2026

   Approved by the Governor.

3. September 03, 2026

   Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

4. August 26, 2026

   Urgency clause adopted. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 63. Noes 9. Page 6652.).

5. August 26, 2026

   In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

6. August 26, 2026

   Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 34. Noes 0.).

7. August 24, 2026

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

8. August 21, 2026

   Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

9. August 17, 2026

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

10. August 13, 2026

    Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

11. August 13, 2026

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (August 13).

12. June 29, 2026

    In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

13. June 16, 2026

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 3. Noes 0.) (June 15). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

14. June 11, 2026

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on HUMAN S.

15. June 03, 2026

    Referred to Com. on HUMAN S.

16. May 27, 2026

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

17. May 26, 2026

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 61. Noes 11.)

18. May 18, 2026

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

19. May 14, 2026

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 2.) (May 14).

20. May 06, 2026

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

21. April 23, 2026

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

22. April 23, 2026

    Coauthors revised.

23. April 14, 2026

    Re-referred to Com. on HUM. S.

24. April 13, 2026

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on HUM. S. Read second time and amended.

25. March 16, 2026

    Referred to Com. on HUM. S.

26. February 21, 2026

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

27. February 20, 2026

    Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

• Patrick Ahrens · Primary

Votes

Subjects