Bill > SB411

This bill, known as the Stop Child Hunger Act of 2025, aims to expand child nutrition programs in California by creating two key initiatives: a statewide Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) application process and the Better Out of School Time (BOOST) Nutrition EBT Program. The Summer EBT application will be a single statewide website that allows families to apply for summer food benefits, with the ability to route applications to local educational agencies for eligibility determination. The BOOST Nutrition EBT Program will provide electronic benefits to eligible students during school breaks of five or more days or during school closures caused by gubernatorial emergency declarations, with daily benefit amounts based on federal school meal reimbursement rates. The bill requires the State Department of Education and State Department of Social Services to develop and implement these programs, with the goal of reducing child hunger and supporting families struggling to afford groceries. The legislation builds on California's existing universal school meals program and the federal Summer EBT program, seeking to extend nutrition support beyond the traditional school year and during unexpected school closures. Additionally, the bill ensures that these benefits will not be counted as income when determining eligibility for other public benefits, and it mandates that any new costs imposed on local agencies will be reimbursed by the state.

Budget and Finance, Education, Health and Social Services

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB411