End Hunger in California Act of 2024.

Existing law establishes the Department of Food and Agriculture, under the control of the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, to promote and protect the agricultural industry of the state. Under existing law, the policy of the state is that every human being has the right to access sufficient, affordable, and healthy food. Existing law establishes various food assistance programs, including, among others, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) , known in California as CalFresh, under which supplemental nutrition assistance benefits allocated to the state by the federal government are distributed to eligible individuals by each county. This bill would require the Department of Food and Agriculture, in consultation with specified entities, to appoint and convene the End Hunger in California Master Plan Task Force to make recommendations for future comprehensive strategies aimed at addressing access to healthy and culturally relevant food for all Californians. The bill would require the task force to meet at least twice per year and to be composed of 25 members, from specified agencies and with specified knowledge and expertise in various food-related subject matters. The bill would authorize the department to use privately donated funds to provide non-state-employed members with a reasonable per diem allowance for each day of attendance and reimbursement for actual and necessary travel expenses incurred in connection with their official duties involving the task force. The bill would also authorize the task force to form ad hoc advisory committees to learn more about specific issues regarding recommending future comprehensive strategies aimed at addressing access to healthy and culturally relevant food. The bill would require the Department of Food and Agriculture to serve as the lead agency for developing the End Hunger in California Master Plan and to assist the task force in carrying out its duties. The bill would require the plan to be distributed to the Legislature no later than January 1, 2027, or 2 years after an appropriation of funds is made to implement these provisions, whichever is later, and to include specified actions, among others, identification of barriers to bringing retailers to specific locations, inclusion of a strategy to maximize eligible individuals' participation in specified federal and state nutritional programs, and identification of goals and implementation mechanisms to ensure California achieves an end to hunger. The bill would make related findings and declarations. The bill would also require the task force to report to the Legislature, on an annual basis, the demographic information of its members, as defined, to the extent that the information is available and the member has agreed to disclose their demographic information in the report.