Assembly Budget Hearing Highlights Urgent County Impacts of H.R. 1
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Counties are bracing for expanded work requirements and stricter eligibility rules for CalFresh that risk hundreds of thousands of Californians losing food assistance.
At this week’s Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 hearing on human services, state lawmakers and county voices underscored the detrimental impacts of H.R. 1 on California’s safety net programs and the critical role counties will play in implementation.
The hearing focused on California’s response to H.R. 1 and ongoing efforts to maximize CalFresh retention as new federal requirements take effect. Counties are on the front lines – but we can’t shoulder this alone.
An estimated 665,000 Californians could lose CalFresh benefits at full implementation, with tens of thousands potentially losing assistance each month starting this fall.
Counties on the Frontlines
Throughout the hearing, it was clear that counties will bear the primary responsibility for implementing these changes—while working to minimize disruptions and keep eligible residents enrolled.
Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson, Chair of the Subcommittee, emphasized both the urgency and the stakes:
“We are under the threat of mass hunger… due to the federal H.R. 1 policies that will soon implement and that will cut food assistance to hundreds of thousands of people.”
Assemblymember Natasha Johnson, Vice Chair of the Committee, noted that her home county of Riverside alone is facing the loss of hundreds of staff positions while experiencing a dramatic increase in caseloads.
The combination of rising demand and shrinking workforce capacity reflects a broader statewide challenge counties are preparing to manage.
Implementation Challenges and Workforce Burden
A central theme of the hearing was the complexity of implementing H.R. 1 requirements while avoiding unnecessary loss of benefits for eligible individuals.
While the state plans to automatically exempt approximately two-thirds of CalFresh recipients between the ages of 18-64 using existing data systems, nearly one million individuals will still require direct county worker screening to determine eligibility and compliance.
This creates a significant administrative burden for county eligibility workers, who must:
- Conduct detailed eligibility screenings
- Apply and verify exemptions
- Support clients through new work requirements
- Prevent avoidable disenrollments
Assemblymember Jackson highlighted the importance of minimizing this burden:
“We must ensure that exemptions are applied correctly with no or minimal burden for the recipient or county worker… and provide for the county resources needed to properly screen recipients to avoid program disenrollment and the loss of food benefits.”
CSAC Position: Funding Critical to Protect Access
CSAC continues to advocate on behalf of California’s counties, with a state budget ask of $1.9 billion in 2026-27 and $4.5 billion the next year to protect the safety net.
Adequate funding is essential to:
- Maintain sufficient staffing levels
- Process increased caseloads
- Maximize CalFresh retention
- Prevent eligible Californians from losing access to nutrition assistance and health coverage
Without these resources, counties will face significant challenges meeting federal requirements while protecting vulnerable residents.
Looking Ahead
The hearing also highlighted the urgency of budget decisions, with the Governor’s May Revision just two weeks away. With the implementation of H.R. 1’s stricter workforce requirements beginning June 1, counties need immediate clarity and resources to prepare for what Assemblymember Jackson described as the “humongous work” ahead.
As discussions continue, CSAC will remain engaged with state leaders to ensure counties have the tools, funding, and flexibility needed to successfully implement H.R. 1 while protecting access to critical safety net programs.