California Code, Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 18901.36

(a)(1) The department, by February 1, 2026, shall establish a CalFresh workgroup to create recommendations for a state reentry process incorporating the necessary resources for transition from state prison or county jail to obtaining CalFresh benefits upon reentry into the community. The composition of the workgroup shall consist of all of the following:

(2) The workgroup shall consider how best to increase CalFresh enrollment for otherwise eligible applicants for the CalFresh program to ensure that an applicant's benefits begin upon the reentry of the applicant into the community from the state prison or county jail.

(3) The workgroup shall consider federal programs or applicable federal waivers to reduce food insecurity for individuals leaving incarceration and to aid in the reentry process.

(4) The workgroup shall meet no less than quarterly.

(f)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the department shall partner with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and county jails to allow for preenrollment of otherwise eligible applicants who are ineligible because of their incarceration status for the CalFresh program to ensure that an applicant's benefits may begin as soon as possible upon reentry of the applicant into the community from the state prison or a county jail.

(2) In the case of a given county, the department shall implement the partnership described in paragraph (1) with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and county jails upon notification to the State Department of Health Care Services that the corresponding county has implemented the Justice-Involved Initiative that is developed by the State Department of Health Care Services pursuant to CalAIM provisions, including, but not limited to, Section 14184.800.