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Some efforts have been made to adjust the workings of the California welfare system--but there is still much to be done. Little legal action has been made and without significant public attention, odds are many more attempts will be made.
The betterment and reform of California's welfare system starts with us
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Lack
of Action
What has been done and--
What more can we do
Nutrition
California Governor Gavin Newsom himself has done little to remedy the lack of nutritional enforcement in California’s SNAP programs when compared to other states like Utah and Texas. However, bill SB 1134, introduced by California Senator Tony Strickland, titled SNAP to Thrive: Shop Nutritiously and Preventatively to Thrive Act, aims to prohibit the purchase of “soft drinks, candy, and prepackaged desserts ("SB 1134: SNAP to Thrive: Shop Nutritiously and Preventatively to Thrive Act", 2026). The bill's current status is “in progress,” and currently pending within the California Senate and is in committee to be considered within the 2025 to 2026 legislative session. Unfortunately, due to the current political sensitivity (especially within California) regarding SNAP/CalFresh purchases and controversies over similar past proposals, SB 1134 isn’t likely to advance without significant public backing. This serves as a call to action to say that change is possible and already being considered, but the odds of any significant reformation to the California welfare system are unlikely without strong public support and awareness. To truly fix the issue of nutrition within California welfare, mass support is necessary.
Fraud
According to the California government website, “New innovative fraud-fighting technologies employed by the state have reduced reported theft of cash and food benefits by approximately 83% since January 2024. These efforts include launching chip-and-tap-enabled EBT cards, a national first” (Gov.ca.gov, 2026). The press release highlights that there have been and are efforts in California to reduce welfare fraud. This new EBT card technology, harnessing the power of new anti-fraud technology and data analytics, has made a real difference–as of January 2024, victims were reimbursed about $20.9 million in stolen EBT benefits–helping those who really need it.
However, California has not yet moved to a stage where all forms of welfare fraud have been tackled within the state, even with changes made by the Governor. Identity-related welfare fraud still needs addressing. The most plausible move to solve this issue is to move more welfare registration to in-person. Most of the issues regarding identity-related welfare fraud stem from the online systems in which applications are held. With a human registrant able to vet each applicant coming in, things are likely to improve. Also, more data can be utilized to prevent different forms of welfare fraud, as mentioned previously.