SACRAMENTO - Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) today announced that Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 1359 to expedite food stamps, or CalFresh benefits, within three calendar days for families in immediate need.

“AB 1359 will make it easier for the 120,000 children and their families who are hungry in Alameda and Contra Costa counties to access our federally-funded food programs,” Skinner said.

This bill requires county human services agencies to evaluate all applications for CalFresh expedited services, which conforms to federal law. Households that qualify for expedited service will receive benefits by the third calendar day after filing the application.

More than six million Californians are living in poverty with more than two million of them being children, according to statistics recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau.

AB 1359 is one of three bills signed into law this month so far authored by Assemblymember Skinner.

CONTACT: Tracie Morales, (510) 286-1400