Assembly BillIntroducedWelfare and Institutions
AB 1618: Food insecurity survey.
What AB 1618 does, verified May 16, 2026
The bill requires the state department of social services to conduct a statewide survey to assess food insecurity in the state, modeled after a specified federal survey. The first survey must be completed by July 1, 2028, and subsequent surveys by October 1, 2028, and annually thereafter. The results of the survey must be made publicly available on the department's website. The department is authorized to collaborate or contract with a public research institution or external vendor to implement these provisions. The department cannot conduct a statewide survey during a year when a federal food security survey is conducted. The goal of the bill is to ensure every human being in the state has the right to access sufficient affordable and healthy food.
Bill journey
1IntroducedCurrent
2In CommitteePending
3First Chamber FloorPending
4Second ChamberPending
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: In committee: Held under submission. (2026-05-14)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions8 total · showing 5
| May. 14, 2026 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| Apr. 15, 2026 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Mar. 16, 2026 | Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Mar. 12, 2026 | Read second time and amended. |
| Mar. 11, 2026 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (March 10). |
Latest bill textAmended version, March 12, 2026 · 600 words
| Amended IN Assembly March 12, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 1618
| Introduced by Assembly Member Rogers (Coauthors: Assembly Members Davies, Garcia, Jeff Gonzalez, Solache, and Stefani) (Coauthors: Senators Arreguín and Rubio) |
January 21, 2026 |
An act to add Chapter 9.7 (commencing with Section 18750) to Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to food insecurity.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1618, as amended, Rogers. Food insecurity survey.
Existing law establishes various food assistance programs, including, among others, 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 declares that it is the established policy of the state that every human being has the right to access sufficient affordable and healthy food. Existing law defines “food insecurity” to mean the occasional or constant lack of access to the food one needs to live a healthy life and the uncertainty of being able to acquire enough food to meet the needs of an individual or household due to insufficient money or other resources.
This bill would require the State Department of Social Services to annually conduct a statewide survey to assess food insecurity in the state, modeled after a specified federal survey. The bill would require the first statewide food insecurity survey to be completed on or before July 1, 2027. 2028. The bill would require the department, on or before October 1, 2027, 2028, and annually thereafter, to make the results of the statewide food insecurity survey publicly available on its internet website. The bill would authorize the department to collaborate or contract with a public research institution or other external vendor to implement these provisions. The bill would prohibit the department from conducting a statewide food insecurity survey during a year in which a federal food security survey is conducted, as specified.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Chapter 9.7 (commencing with Section 18750) is added to Part 6 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:CHAPTER 9.7. Food Insecurity Survey
18750.
For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:(a) ”Department” “Department” means the State Department of Social Services.
(b) “Food insecurity” has the same meaning as defined in Section 18700.
18751.
(a) The department shall annually conduct a statewide survey to assess food insecurity in the state, modeled after the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service national household food security survey. The department’s first statewide food insecurity survey shall be completed on or before July 1,(b) On or before October 1, 2028. and annually thereafter, the department shall make the results of the statewide food insecurity survey publicly available on its internet website.
(c) The department may collaborate or contract with a public research institution or other external vendor to implement subdivisions (a) and (b).
On or before October 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, the department shall make the results of the statewide food insecurity survey publicly available on its internet website.
18752.
Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 18751, the department shall not conduct a statewide food insecurity survey during a year in which either of the following occurs:(a) The USDA Economic Research Service conducts a national household food security survey.
(b) A federal agency conducts a food security survey that is a successor of, or similar to, the USDA Economic Research Service national household food security survey.
Text of AB 1618 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions