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

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

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.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 7

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. September 18, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 310, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 18, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. September 3, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
4. August 26, 2026Urgency clause adopted. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 63. Noes 9. Page 6652.).
5. August 26, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
6. August 26, 2026Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 34. Noes 0.).
7. August 24, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
8. August 21, 2026Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
9. August 17, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
10. August 13, 2026Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
11. August 13, 2026From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 6. Noes 1.) (August 13).
12. June 29, 2026In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.