Bill > AB402

This bill allows school districts and county offices of education, at their discretion, to share information from School Lunch Program applications with local agencies that determine eligibility for the CalFresh program, which is a federal-state program providing food assistance to low-income individuals and families. This sharing can only happen if the child is approved for free or reduced-price meals and, crucially, if the applicant gives their consent. The information can only be used by the CalFresh agency to enroll families in the CalFresh program and cannot be shared with other government agencies, except as permitted by law. The bill also outlines a process for counties to use this shared information to determine CalFresh eligibility and enroll eligible children, treating the School Lunch Program application as a CalFresh application under certain conditions, and requiring further documentation for continued eligibility.