20250AB__079893CHP INTRODUCED 2025-02-18 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2025-03-17 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2025-04-22 AMENDED_SENATE 2025-07-08 AMENDED_SENATE 2025-08-29 PASSED_ASSEMBLY 2025-09-11 PASSED_SENATE 2025-09-10 ENROLLED 2025-09-15 CHAPTERED 2025-10-11 APPROVED 2025-10-11 FILED 2025-10-11 2025 AB CHP CHP 0 Introduced by Assembly Member Calderon (Coauthor: Assembly Member Aguiar-Curry) (Coauthors: Senators Limón and Richardson) LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Calderon COAUTHOR ASSEMBLY Aguiar-Curry COAUTHOR SENATE Limón COAUTHOR SENATE Richardson

An act to amend

Section 18995.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to children’s health. children’s health State Emergency Food Bank Reserve Program: diapers and wipes. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services, subject to appropriation, to administer the State Emergency Food Bank Reserve Program in order to provide food and funding for the provision of emergency food and related costs to food banks serving low-income Californians to prevent hunger during natural or human-made disasters, as specified.

Existing law authorizes the department to distribute funds under the program upon a proclamation or declaration of a disaster or state of emergency. Under existing law, a recipient of the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program who is participating in a welfare-to-work plan is eligible for $30 per month to assist with diaper costs for each child who is under months of age.

Under the Budget Act of 2024, certain funding is appropriated to the department to allocate to specified food banks and other regional entities for the purpose of distributing diapers and wipes to low-income families with infants or toddlers. This bill would include children’s diapers and wipes in the list of supplies under the State Emergency Food Bank Reserve Program. The bill would authorize the use of funds distributed under the program for purchasing and distributing children’s diapers and wipes in eligible communities and for reimbursing food banks, as specified.

MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (

a) Diapers are essential for the health and well-being of babies and toddlers, yet one in two families in the United States struggles to afford diapers. (

b) A lack of diapers is not only a public health issue, but also an obstacle to economic mobility for low-income families. (

c) Diapers alone can cost approximately $100 or more per month per child, or approximately percent or more of a person’s total income if they are making California minimum wage, with low-income families disproportionately experiencing the burden. (

d) One in four parents or caregivers who rely on childcare services and who do not have enough diapers often cannot drop their children off at childcare, leading to missed days at work and school, missed early education opportunities for toddlers, and an increased likelihood of painful rashes and infections. (

e) The benefit programs CalFresh and the California Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC Program) do not provide diaper aid. (

f) In April 2018, the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program began providing diaper aid as a supportive service, to a person participating in a welfare-to-work plan, in the amount of $30 per month for each child within a certain age range. (

g) Diapers are the fourth greatest cost burden for many families. (

h) According to the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California’s nine largest wildfires have occurred within the last decade. Two of the most destructive fires, categorized by structures destroyed, include the Palisades and Eaton fires. Furthermore, California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment notes that, by 2100, the frequency of extreme wildfires burning over approximately 25,000 acres could increase by nearly percent. (

i) Expanding the geographic reach of the state’s diaper distribution efforts will address diaper need in California, especially for vulnerable families, while leveraging and strengthening existing safety-net investments.

SEC.

Section 18995.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code is amended to read: 18995.1. (a)

(1) Subject to an appropriation for this purpose, the State Department of Social Services shall administer the State Emergency Food Bank Reserve Program to provide food, children’s diapers, wipes, and funding for the provision of emergency food, children’s diapers, wipes, and related costs to food banks serving low-income Californians to prevent hunger during natural or human-made disasters.

(2) For purposes of this chapter, “food banks” means participating providers operating in California under the federal Emergency Food Assistance Program (Parts and of Title of the Code of Federal Regulations), or the federal Commodity Supplemental Food Program (Parts and of Title of the Code of Federal Regulations), members of the nonprofit organization Feeding America that are based in California, and members of the California Association of Food Banks. (

b) Upon a proclamation or declaration of a disaster or state of emergency by the governing body of a county, city, or city and county, or by an official designated by ordinance adopted by that governing body, the state, or the federal government, the department may distribute funds for the purposes set forth in subdivision (c). The department shall determine the best method for distribution to ensure that the funds are used for the purposes specified in this chapter. (

c) Funds distributed pursuant to this

chapter may be used for all of the following purposes:

(1) To purchase and distribute food in eligible communities.

(2) To reimburse food banks for food and the costs associated with the procurement and distribution of food in eligible communities.

(3) To purchase and distribute children’s diapers and wipes in eligible communities.

(4) To reimburse food banks for children’s diapers and wipes and the costs associated with the procurement and distribution of children’s diapers and wipes in eligible communities. (

d) Notwithstanding any other law, agreements awarded pursuant to this

section shall be exempt from the requirements of

Article 4 (commencing with

Section 19130) of

Chapter of Part of Division of Title of the Government Code, the Public Contract Code, and the State Contracting Manual, and shall not be subject to the approval of the Department of General Services. (

e) Notwithstanding the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with

Section 11340) of Part of Division of Title of the Government Code), the State Department of Social Services may implement, interpret, or make specific this

chapter by means of letter or similar instructions without taking any regulatory action. (

f) The Legislature finds and declares that this

chapter is a state law that provides assistance and services for undocumented persons within the meaning of

Section 1621(

d) of Title of the United States Code.