In the face of near-constant attacks from the federal level this year, CFPA proudly stands steadfast with our partners in federal advocacy to protect the anti-hunger safety net. We are also encouraged that progress was made to increase access to affordable, nutritious food through 2019 California legislation. The 2019 state legislative session concluded with significant victories, thanks to the tireless advocacy of our partners and coalitions working together to advance our shared goals. All of your letters, calls, emails and actions once again made a difference in the lives of low-income Californians. Thank you for your support.
Though we are heartened by the strong showing of support for anti-hunger legislation, we are disappointed that too many of our shared efforts to increase food equity in California fell short of being signed into law this year. As we prepare for next year, CFPA reaffirms our commitment to advocacy, equity, and food for all, and hope you will join us in that endeavor.
2019 State Legislative Priorities
CFPA’s state policy priorities saw some major successes this year, while others were left still unfulfilled. Out of the forty-one hunger and nutrition-focused bills on CFPA’s 2019 support agenda, fourteen bills were signed into law by the Governor.
CFPA-sponsored legislation ultimately fell short of the Governor’s desk this year, though we are encouraged by the progress we made and the heightened interest policymakers showed in addressing hunger and its root causes.
SB 285 (Wiener): CalFresh Connect was held in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The bill would have improved access to CalFresh by setting statewide participation goals and tracking progress to make meaningful improvements. While we are disappointed the bill will not be moving forward, CFPA and our partners want to thank all of you who supported the bill this year. We would not have gotten this far without your voices and contributions. Thank you.
CFPA remains committed to improving access to CalFresh for all, regardless of where they live or their individual circumstances. We will continue to fight for equitable access and systems that ensure eligible Californians who need putting food on the table can get the assistance they need and deserve.
Stay tuned for updates on our efforts to improve CalFresh, and other programs and services that help provide low-income Californians with the nutritious food they need to lead healthy, thriving lives.
AB 842 (Limon): Food With Care would have provided guaranteed access to a nutritious, free or low-cost meal for our youngest public school students. The bill would also have eliminated a longstanding inequity to the state supplemental meal reimbursement. Despite sailing through the Legislature with unanimous support, it was ultimately vetoed by Governor Newsom.
This is the fourth time advocates have attempted these changes through the budget process, yet each time, the funding was not appropriated. The Governor did not take the opportunity with AB 842 to end a longstanding inequity to support access to meals for our youngest public school students, as we have for decades for K-12 public school students. Young children need food to grow, to develop, and to be healthy and meals are a basic resource for student success.
CFPA thanks all of our partners for your continued support year after year. With your help we made some successful inroads to increasing access to meals for young children. Thank you for all your contributions – from letters of support, meetings with decision makers, and beyond – thank you for your tireless commitment! We are prepared to continue to advocate this important protection and necessary state funding in the next year.
SB 499 (McGuire): California-Grown for Healthy Kids sought to create and sustain equitable, healthy, hunger-free schools through an extra 10¢ per breakfast reimbursement to purchase California-grown fresh fruits and vegetables. To earn this incentive, school districts must serve breakfast universally free in all schools, and serve breakfast and lunch universally free at very high poverty schools.
Universally free school meals are particularly important in California where the cost of living and operating a business are extraordinarily high. When breakfast and lunch are served free to every student, the entire school benefits from the elimination of school meal debt, the supportive meal environment that eliminates stigma, and the increase in federal resources that can be put back into the quality of the school meal programs.
Unfortunately, the state 2019-2020 budget did not include any funding for SB 499. We are disappointed, but will continue to build a path forward to continue supporting hunger-free schools –– where breakfast and lunch are free for all students.
State Budget Invests in Safety Net
The 2019-20 Budget Act made many important investments – and at $214.8 billion is the largest in state history – but unfortunately most food access and anti-hunger priorities were left behind. Read CFPA’s statement on the 2019-20 State Budget.
Looking Ahead
In this upcoming election year, we are preparing to work with the Governor and administration, and expect to see some changes in the Legislature in 2020. While we celebrate this year’s major successes and incremental progress, we recognize the difficult work ahead of us to address many pressing issues facing low-income Californians. This includes California’s housing and homelessness crisis and its’ impact on hunger; rising income inequality and cost of living; the difficulty in accessing needed food assistance in California; and the federal threats to our immigrant neighbors and to the federal safety net at large.
We appreciate the hard work of all the diverse individuals, organizations, and coalitions that supported CFPA’s legislative priorities, and we applaud the successes of our partners. We will continue working together to identify, promote, and enact policy solutions that improve the health and wellbeing of low-income Californians by increasing their access to nutritious, affordable food. Stay tuned for more!
Questions? Contact Jared Call at jared@cfpa.net or 323.401.4972
