Vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that establishes a disaster food assistance program, effective immediately.

Highlights:

• Authorizes the Department of Social Services to contract with a Feeding America partner state organization or another nonprofit entity with the capacity to provide a food assistance benefit statewide (Sec 1).

• Authorizes the Department to have the emergency authority to expedite all contracts necessary to distribute benefits (Sec 1).

• Specifies that a person is eligible to receive food assistance benefits if that person self-attests to eligibility for (Sec 1):

• The Federal Emergency Food Assistance Program;

• The Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants Project; or

• Immigrant legal services.

• Authorizes benefits to be issued for one-time use in the form of a prepaid card preloaded with $600 that can only be used at retailers that sell groceries (Sec 1).

• Authorizes the contractor to subcontract with local nonprofit organizations to issue food assistance benefits on 2 different distribution periods at least one month apart (Sec 1).

• Requires any subcontracting nonprofit to maintain records that include the (Sec 1):

• Total number of cards received and the date received;

• Total number of cards issued during each distribution period; and

• Dates of each distribution period.

Full Bill Text