Senate BillVetoedWelfare and Institutions
SB 1077: CalFresh: federal government shutdowns.
What SB 1077 does, verified September 20, 2026
During a federal government shutdown, the state department of social services will maintain a clearly marked landing page on their internet website to inform the public about the impact of the shutdown on their supplemental nutrition assistance benefits. The department will also establish a strategic communications plan, which includes notifications for affected participants and daily emergency response briefings for local and state officials. This plan will be coordinated with stakeholders. The department will develop a benefit issuance mechanism to rapidly provide nutrition benefits in response to a shutdown, which can issue benefits through the existing electronic benefits transfer system and target various populations as needed.
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
✓Second ChamberComplete
5GovernorCurrent
6ChapteredPending
Last action: In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending. (2026-09-18)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $15/moUnlockRecent actions28 total · showing 5
| Sep. 18, 2026 | In Senate. Consideration of Governor's veto pending. |
| Sep. 18, 2026 | Vetoed by the Governor. |
| Aug. 31, 2026 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 6 p.m. |
| Aug. 26, 2026 | Assembly amendments concurred in. (Ayes 40. Noes 0.) Ordered to engrossing and enrolling. |
| Aug. 25, 2026 | Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 6471.) Ordered to the Senate. |
Latest bill textEnrolled version, August 28, 2026 · 1,404 words
| Enrolled August 28, 2026 |
| Passed IN Senate August 26, 2026 |
| Passed IN Assembly August 25, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly August 13, 2026 |
| Amended IN Senate March 16, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Bill
No. 1077
| Introduced by Senator Gonzalez (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Celeste Rodriguez) (Coauthor: Assembly Member Lee) |
February 13, 2026 |
An act to add Sections 18921 and 18921.1 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to CalFresh.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 1077, Gonzalez. CalFresh: federal government shutdowns.
Existing federal law provides for 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, through Disaster SNAP, provides for short-term food assistance benefits to eligible households who are victims of a disaster that disrupts commercial channels of food distribution.
This bill would, during a federal government shutdown that impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits, require the State Department of Social Services to maintain a clearly marked landing page on the department’s internet website to provide the public with information on how their benefits will be impacted, including information on the status of the federal government shutdown and the availability of benefits. The bill would also require the department, in coordination with stakeholders, to establish a strategic communications plan for use during a federal government shutdown that impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits that includes updates to the landing page on the department’s internet website, deployment of social media posts, and emergency response briefings for local and state officials, local government agencies, community organizations, and participating retailers, as specified.
The bill would require the department to develop a benefit issuance mechanism to allow the department flexibility to rapidly provide nutrition benefits on an emergency basis in response to a federal government shutdown that impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits, and would require the mechanism to be designed to issue nutrition benefits through the existing electronic benefits transfer system and in a manner that can target various populations depending on the purpose of the specific benefit. The bill would make this provision operative when the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement this provision.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(a) No person in California should experience hunger.
(b) Families across the country are struggling to afford healthy and adequate groceries. Nearly 3,000,000 California households struggle with food insecurity. Over 1,000,000 households with children struggle with food insecurity.
(c) The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) offers significant vital benefits that over 5,000,000 Californians rely on to afford basic food necessities.
(d) SNAP, known in California as CalFresh, is the state’s largest antihunger and antipoverty program. The financial assistance Californians receive from the program helps lower income Californians budget sufficient money to cover rent, utility costs, transportation costs, education costs, and other necessities. Furthermore, every dollar in SNAP benefits generates $1.54 or more in local economic activity, supporting jobs at neighborhood grocery stores and markets and bolstering the incomes of local farmers.
(e) California has led the nation in establishing food security programs that provide assistance well above and beyond SNAP.
(f) In October 2025, the federal government shut down for a record 43 days. California does not currently have the infrastructure or capacity necessary to issue state-funded benefits to SNAP recipients during a federal government shutdown, meaning the state did not have the ability to replace SNAP benefits before low-income individuals were directly affected.
(g) Until the federal government reopened, as part of the federal government shutdown, frequent changes in information coming from the federal government and updates from state officials pursuant to rapidly changing lawsuits resulted in confusion, fear, and uncertainty for the millions of Californians that rely on SNAP benefits.
SEC. 2.
Section 18921 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:18921.
(a) (1) During a federal government shutdown that impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits, the department shall maintain a clearly marked landing page on the department’s internet website to provide the public with information on how their benefits will be impacted, and that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following information:(A) Status of the federal government shutdown and the availability of benefits.
(B) To the extent possible, a timeline with the most updated information possible, of when benefits will be disrupted and which beneficiaries will be affected, as well as when benefits will be disbursed.
(C) A “Frequently Asked Questions” section addressing questions and misinformation about the availability of benefits.
(D) Where impacted Californians can access emergency food assistance, including, but not limited to, information about how to find their local food banks.
(E) Any relevant litigation being pursued by the State of California or other entities related to CalFresh benefits and the federal government shutdown.
(2) In developing the information to include on the landing page, the department shall consider information from previous government shutdowns that remains current and consider information provided by state and county partners, community organizations, food banks, and participating retailers.
(3) The department shall include accommodations for accessibility and language services.
(4) The department shall review and update the landing page at least every 72 hours until the CalFresh benefits are being fully disbursed and the federal government has reopened.
(b) The department, in coordination with stakeholders, including, but not limited to, county human services agencies, the County Welfare Directors Association of California, the exclusive representatives of CalFresh eligibility workers, representatives of CalFresh authorized retailers, advocates for CalFresh participants, and the California Association of Food Banks, shall establish a strategic communications plan by January 1, 2028, for use thereafter during a federal government shutdown that impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits. The communications plan shall include, but is not limited to, both of the following:
(1) Updates to the landing page on the department’s internet website and deployment of social media posts within 72 hours of the department being notified by the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture that there will be a disruption in CalFresh disbursement, and regular updates thereafter that include, but are not limited to, all of the following information:
(A) The current status of benefit disbursement.
(B) How to check their accessible CalFresh benefit balance.
(C) Whether the past month’s benefit balances are available for use.
(D) Where to find factual, updated information on the federal government shutdown and the impacts on the disbursement of CalFresh benefits.
(E) Emergency food resources.
(2) Emergency response briefings, as needed, for local and state officials, local government agencies, community organizations, and participating retailers during the time that a federal government shutdown impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits that includes information on all of the following:
(A) The current status of benefit disbursement.
(B) Whether the past month’s benefit balances are available for use.
(C) Pertinent updates on court filings and decisions regarding benefit availability.
(D) Where to find factual, updated information to share with the public on the federal government shutdown and the impacts on the disbursement of CalFresh benefits.
(E) Emergency actions the state is taking, including, but not limited to, additional funding and staffing for food banks.
(c) The department shall issue guidance to county human services agencies for use during a federal government shutdown that impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits.
SEC. 3.
Section 18921.1 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:18921.1.
(a) The department shall develop a benefit issuance mechanism to allow the department flexibility to rapidly provide nutrition benefits on an emergency basis in response to a federal government shutdown that impacts the disbursement of CalFresh benefits. The benefit issuance mechanism shall comply with both of the following:(1) The mechanism shall be designed to issue nutrition benefits through the electronic benefits transfer system created pursuant to Section 10072, and in a manner that can target various populations depending on the purpose of the specific benefit.
(2) The mechanism shall comply with all applicable state and federal law governing privacy and confidentiality.
(b) This section shall become operative on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System can perform the necessary automation to implement this section.
Text of SB 1077 as enrolled, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions