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Committee advances bill to let state check county capacity for disaster CalFresh after declared disasters
Summary
SB 739 would authorize the California Department of Social Services to inquire about county capacity to deliver disaster CalFresh and to coordinate support when county systems are damaged; the Assembly committee passed the bill to Appropriations.
The Assembly Human Services Committee on May 20 passed SB 739 to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The bill would authorize the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to inquire whether a county in a federally declared disaster area can provide timely and adequate CalFresh or disaster CalFresh services and to coordinate with the county if local capacity is impaired.
The sponsor said disaster CalFresh provides eligible disaster victims with up to a month of benefits on an EBT card to cover food needs and that county infrastructure and county staff can be damaged or displaced during disasters, creating barriers to access. The bill is intended to permit early state—county communication so CDSS can identify breakdowns and provide support or mutual aid to ensure families receive benefits.
Yesenia Jimenez of End Child Poverty California testified in support and described disaster CalFresh as a “critical lifeline” for families who lose homes, jobs or access to basic necessities during disasters. Committee members from Los Angeles-area districts said they had observed failures in local CalFresh access during recent events and praised the bill's focus on coordination.
The committee moved the bill to Appropriations; the motion carried with no recorded opposition. The vote was recorded as 7-0 after add-ons, with an earlier on-the-record partial vote reported as 5-0 before roll was completed.
