New law risks starvation for families relying on CalFresh

By Hannah Mudgett, especially for CalMatters

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Every day, more than 5 million Californians rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known here as CalFresh, to keep food on the table. This is the largest anti-hunger program in our country.

Yet as food prices rise and poverty deepens, SNAP faces new political threats that could push even more families into hunger.

The Trump administration and its political allies have outlined plans to significantly limit access to SNAP. They seek to revive previous efforts to tighten work requirements for recipients, narrow eligibility and enforce new administrative obstacles.

These proposals would not simply “eliminate fraud” as is often phrased. They will take food aid away from Californians who are barely getting by. In a state where the cost of living is among the highest in the nation, the consequences would be particularly severe, reversing the trend of several years ago.

During the pandemic, when emergency SNAP distributions were increased, food insecurity fell among the millions of low-income adults who accessed the program, national and state data show.

Nearly 3 million Californians received emergency aid during the pandemicbut when these allotments were over, food banks across the state report growing demand for help.

That was with a federal extension end. federal cutsespecially those that deliberately target CalFresh eligibility would be far more harmful.

President Trump signed House Resolution One on July 4. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act changes general job requirements to be eligible for SNAP and the rules for “able-bodied adults without dependents” who receive it.

Strict job requirements will harm people disproportionately which already are working in unstable, low-paying jobs. These are often retail workers with unpredictable schedules, caregivers juggling multiple responsibilities, or workers whose hours vary.

Documentary burdens and aid cuts

Research shows that such mandates do not increase employment. Instead, they create additional paperwork and often result in depriving eligible families of critical food assistance.

Other changes affecting CalFresh recipients include Standard Utility Allowance Adjustments. Allowances allow recipients to factor in standard utility costs when applying for assistance.

From November 1, only households that include a member over the age of 60 or a person with a disability can claim such deductions for electricity, gas or water bills. This will mean a lower monthly food budget for already struggling families who do not meet these criteria.

Even modest reductions matter when grocery costs are rising.

Although CalFresh recipients receive a small cost-of-living adjustment that will slight increase in paymentsthe increase is modest compared to the potential harm of expanding work requirements and reducing utility assistance.

California’s focus must remain on ensuring that these policies do not worsen hunger, especially for communities that already face systemic barriers. The state has a chance to keep its own asset-friendly rules, maintain exemptions for healthy adults when appropriate, and advocate for policies that strengthen, not weaken, access to food.

CalFresh is not a handout. It is a critical tool for public health and justice.

When families lose it, that harms children, elderly and working family memberswhich pushes them towards food insecurity and stress, which in turn affects health, education and economic stability.

As policymakers debate the future of SNAP, one principle should guide them: Public benefits exist to protect people in crisis, not create new barriers. California can show the nation that smart, equitable food policy supports families, reduces hardship, and builds a healthier, more sustainable state.

This article was originally published on CalMatters and is republished under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives license.