47,000 People To Lose CalFresh Monthly Under Federal Work Requirements

The Republican budget bill H.R. 1 is subjecting hundreds of thousands of CalFresh recipients to expanded work requirements. The time-limit work rules for recipients of CalFresh, federally known as SNAP, are projected to strip away food assistance from roughly 47,000 people monthly starting in October 2026. Over the next year, a total of 562,000 CalFresh recipients are estimated to lose their benefits because of the federal rules.

"H.R. 1's expanded work requirements are red tape traps to cut off vital food aid for low-income people," said Assemblymember Alex Lee. "This is yet another cruel and punitive policy by the Republican federal government to starve our families. While the federal regime is destroying our safety nets, we are stepping up to strengthen California's investments in food aid. The state budget bolsters funding for food banks, local counties, and extra food benefits to mitigate the devastating impacts of H.R. 1. As Chair of the Human Services Committee, I will continue to work tirelessly to ensure families have access to affordable and nutritious food."

The federal budget bill significantly expanded the population of Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs) who are subject to work requirements. They include people who are:

• Between the ages of 18 and 64 (up from 18 and 54);
• Do not have a disability; and
• Do not have a dependent child under 14 years old (down from the age of 18)

In addition, H.R. 1 eliminated work requirement exemptions for veterans, unhoused individuals, and former foster youth. While the federal budget bill ended California's statewide waiver for implementing the time-limit work rules, the counties of Colusa, Imperial, Kings, Merced, Monterey, Plumas and Tulare are exempt through October 31, 2027, as their average unemployment rates exceed 10%.

In the face of H.R. 1's sweeping cuts, the 2026-27 state budget is bolstering California's food aid funding, including $223 million for counties to respond to H.R. 1's expanded work requirements and $118 million for CalFood. The program enables food banks to purchase California-grown produce and proteins for distribution to those experiencing hunger. Assemblymember Lee has also secured $20 million to revive a CalFresh program, which restarted in October 2026 to provide extra food benefits to families.

Under the expanded work requirements, Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents must prove that they are working, volunteering, or enrolled in school/job training for at least 20 hours weekly. People who are unable to comply are limited to just three months of CalFresh benefits over a 3-year period. Even those who meet the work requirements could be at risk of losing their benefits due to onerous administrative hurdles. The new federal rules took effect in June 2026, with many impacted individuals expected to lose their benefits starting in October and the following months based on their recertification schedules.

The time-limit work rules will hit parents, older adults, and low-wage workers the hardest. Seasonal farmworkers, home health aides, gig workers, and retail employees often work inconsistent schedules and lack control over their hours. Parents must navigate shifting work schedules to accommodate their children. Seniors who depend on food aid may soon find themselves without a lifeline to afford groceries.

Beyond the expanded work requirements, the federal government is also cutting its share of paying for SNAP's administrative costs, forcing California to cover 75% of the costs, up from 50%, beginning in October 2026. As a result, local counties must bear additional administrative costs as well.

The federal policies are part of the Trump Administration's agenda to deny people's access to food assistance. For instance, H.R. 1 policy changes that took effect in November 2025 are projected to reduce monthly benefits by an average of $39 for hundreds of thousands of CalFresh recipients. It also disqualifies humanitarian immigrants from CalFresh, impacting roughly 34,000 people. Nationwide, SNAP participation has already dropped by over 5 million people since H.R. 1 became law.

"Food banks across the state are already serving 6 million people per month, with hundreds of thousands more now turning to food banks as they systematically lose eligibility due to H.R. 1," said Stacia Levenfeld, Chief Executive Officer of California Food Banks. "As demand continues to rise, we are grateful to California leaders for investing in CalFood and CalFresh Outreach this year to mitigate some of the harm caused by H.R. 1. At the same time, state investments alone cannot fill the gap. We continue to urge Congress to reverse these cuts and cost-shift federally through any legislative vehicle to prevent further hunger in our state."

"H.R. 1 doubles down on failed work reporting requirements that decades of evidence prove create complex barriers for people facing hunger and cause them to lose their federal food assistance, while increasing the time eligibility workers need to help people navigate these hurdles," said Carlos Marquez III, Executive Director at the County Welfare Directors Association. "But California is not powerless in the face of these cruel cuts: we thank the Legislature and Governor for prioritizing investments in the county eligibility workforce, who are critical to help hundreds of thousands of Californians cut through H.R. 1's red tape and keep their CalFresh benefits. Counties are working in real time to provide in-depth screening for exemptions, following up on paperwork, and other supports to prevent the harms from H.R. 1 wherever possible. We thank Assemblymember Lee for continuing to highlight this issue and underscore the need for ongoing investment in the human-centered, technology empowered eligibility workforce to protect Californians from H.R. 1."

"Families and individuals from our most financially vulnerable communities are facing a very different CalFresh program than they did before," said Arlan Murillo, Director of Client Services at the Alameda County Community Food Bank. "Changes to eligibility and ABAWD time-limit rules mean that people who previously qualified may no longer qualify or may have new requirements they need to understand. This includes community members experiencing food insecurity every day like veterans, unhoused individuals, and families. We are noticing how these changes are creating uncertainty, planting fear, confusion and making it more difficult for people to access the food assistance they rely on."

"In Silicon Valley, having a job doesn't always mean you can afford to put food on the table," said Rachel Monaco, Senior Manager of Policy and Advocacy at Second Harvest of Silicon Valley. "Many people work unpredictable hours or juggle multiple jobs and other responsibilities just to get by. Expanded CalFresh work requirements risk cutting off food assistance for people who are already struggling to make ends meet. We should be strengthening pathways to stability, not putting more barriers between people and the nutritious food they need to stay healthy and keep moving forward."

"H.R. 1's ongoing barrage of attacks on food security in our community is devastating to our neighbors experiencing hunger. Small nonprofits like ours are struggling to raise enough resources to keep up with our community's growing need and counter the decimating effect of H.R. 1 on our food system," said Linda Leu, Executive Director at the Tri-City Volunteers Food Bank. "Imposing work requirements on populations like older adults, former foster youth, and the unhoused in this job market is likely to make a difficult situation even worse."