State Healthy Food Access Policy.

Senator Hurtado's proposal to modify California's food access policy would add locally grown and raised food sources as a key component of the state's commitment to ensuring sufficient, affordable, and healthy food for all residents. The legislation amends existing state policy by explicitly incorporating local food production into California's framework for addressing food insecurity.

The measure requires multiple state agencies, including the Departments of Social Services, Food and Agriculture, Health Care Services, Education, and Public Health, to incorporate this local food emphasis when developing or updating relevant policies, regulations, and grant criteria. These agencies must report to the Legislature by January 1, 2027 on their progress in implementing the revised policy. The bill maintains that these changes do not create new state obligations to provide food assistance or require additional infrastructure spending.

The legislation defines food insecurity as the occasional or constant inability to access adequate food for a healthy life due to insufficient resources. This definition provides context for the agencies' work in aligning their programs with the updated policy. The reporting requirement includes a sunset date of January 1, 2031, after which agencies would no longer need to submit progress updates to the Legislature.