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 Bill Text - AB-2171 Nutrition benefits: sweetened drinks and candy.

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 |Add To My Favorites |Track Bill | Version: 04/09/26 - Amended Assembly
 02/18/26 - Introduced

 AB-2171 Nutrition benefits: sweetened drinks and candy.(2025-2026)

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 Date Published: 04/09/2026 09:00 PM

AB2171:v98#DOCUMENTBill Start

 Amended
 IN 
 Assembly
 April 09, 2026

 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE—
 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

 Assembly Bill

No. 2171

Introduced by Assembly Member Patterson

February 18, 2026

 An act to add Sections 18919.5 and 18930.2 to the Welfare and Institutions Code, relating to public social services. 

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2171, as amended, Patterson.
 Nutrition benefits: sweetened drinks and candy.

Existing federal law provides for 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. Existing law requires the State Department of Social Services (department) to maximize all available food choices for CalFresh recipients, as specified. 

This bill, notwithstanding the requirement to maximize food choices, would require the department to prohibit CalFresh recipients from using CalFresh benefits to purchase sweetened drinks or candy, as defined. defined, except at restaurants.
 If the department determines that federal permission, as specified, is necessary, the bill would require the department to request federal permission and authorize the department to delay implementation until federal permission is granted.

Existing law requires the department to establish a food assistance program, known as the California Food Assistance Program (CFAP), to provide assistance to specified noncitizens of the United States who meet certain criteria. Existing law, to become operative on the date that the department notifies the Legislature that the Statewide Automated Welfare System (SAWS) has been updated to perform the necessary automation, and to the extent permissible under federal law, among other things, requires the delivery of CFAP nutrition benefits to be identical to the delivery of CalFresh benefits to eligible CalFresh households.

When the department prohibits CalFresh recipients from
 using CalFresh benefits to purchase sweetened drinks or candy as described above and to the extent permissible under federal law, this bill would also require the department to prohibit the purchase of those products with CFAP benefits.

Digest Key

 Vote:
 MAJORITY 
 Appropriation:
 NO 
 Fiscal Committee:
 YES 
 Local Program:
 NO 

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 18919.5 is added to the Welfare and Institutions Code, to read:

18919.5.

 (a) Notwithstanding Section 18919.1, the State Department of Social Services shall prohibit CalFresh recipients from using CalFresh benefits to purchase sweetened drinks or candy. candy, except at restaurants.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 18919.1, if the State Department of Social Services determines that a waiver or authorization from the United States Department of Agriculture is necessary for implementation of this section, the State Department of Social Services shall request the waiver or
 authorization and may delay implementing this section until the waiver or authorization is granted. 

(c) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Candy” is limited to candy that is ordinarily packaged and sold for consumption without further preparation.

(2) “Restaurant” includes, but is not limited to, an on-campus qualifying food facility, as defined in Section 66025.93 of the Education Code, an eat-in establishment, a grocery store delicatessen, and a takeaway-only restaurant. “Restaurant” does not include a restaurant specifically excluded, by federal law or guidance or state law or guidance, from participation in a program associated with CalFresh or the food
 assistance program described in Section 18930.

(2)

(3) “Sweetened drink” means a nonalcoholic beverage made with water that contains five grams or more of added sugar or any amount of artificial sweeteners. “Sweetened drink” does not include a beverage that contains any of the following:

(A) Milk or milk products.

(B) Soy, rice, or similar milk substitutes.

(C) More than