Overview
- The new federal rules take effect June 1 and require many CalFresh applicants and recertifying adults to document about 20 hours of work, school, volunteer service, or training each week to keep benefits.
- State analysts and advocates say roughly 600,000 to 665,000 Californians are at risk of losing CalFresh when the rules are applied at new applications or at recipient recertification.
- There are statutory exemptions for people who are pregnant, disabled, caring for a child under 14, veterans, students who meet criteria, participants in substance-use treatment, and tribal members but most exemptions require documentation and county case reviews.
- California has deployed about $20 million to help counties with outreach and operations, counties are extending office hours and launching special sign-up events, and food banks are boosting supplies to meet an expected surge in demand.
- The changes follow earlier April restrictions that removed some humanitarian immigrants from eligibility and come after federal and state analysts projected large federal SNAP cuts and higher state and county costs, which could push more Californians toward local safety nets.