Existing federal law provides for 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 requires the State Department of Social Services (department) to maximize all available food choices for CalFresh recipients, as specified.

This bill, notwithstanding the requirement to maximize food choices, would require the department to prohibit CalFresh recipients from using CalFresh benefits to purchase sweetened drinks or candy, as defined. If the department determines that federal permission, as specified, is necessary, the bill would require the department to request federal permission and authorize the department to delay implementation until federal permission is granted.

Existing law requires the department to establish a food assistance program, known as the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP), to provide assistance to specified noncitizens of the United States who meet certain criteria. Existing law, to become operative on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS) has been updated to perform the necessary automation, and to the extent permissible under federal law, among other things, requires the delivery of CFAP nutrition benefits to be identical to the delivery of CalFresh benefits to eligible CalFresh households.

When the department prohibits CalFresh recipients from using CalFresh benefits to purchase sweetened drinks or candy as described above and to the extent permissible under federal law, this bill would also require the department to prohibit the purchase of those products with CFAP benefits.