Nourish California has announced that the Democratic-led Legislature of the state failed to address short-term affordability and food access issues, while noting some investments in food safety net programs in the final 2025–2026 state budget.
According to Nourish California, the 2025–26 budget allocated funds for key food safety net programs. However, the organization noted that the Legislature did not make substantial moves to directly address immediate affordability or “kitchen table” issues affecting low-income families. The budget maintained or modestly expanded programs like CalFresh produce incentives and Universal School Meals but failed to alleviate day-to-day cost pressures such as housing, utilities, or childcare. Nourish California said, “the state budget provides funding and support for several food and nutrition programs, [but] makes cuts to other critical safety net programs,” highlighting what they consider an incomplete approach by the Legislature to short-term affordability.
The California Immigrant Policy Center observed that while food programs received some investment, the budget imposes new healthcare barriers for immigrant families—particularly undocumented adults—by freezing Medi-Cal enrollment and introducing premiums. They said that the budget “would cut access to Medi-Cal for immigrants with an enrollment freeze and new monthly premiums that will likely make the program unaffordable to many struggling families.” This rollback impacts core affordability by reducing access to essential healthcare services for vulnerable populations who already face heightened economic insecurity.
Further underscoring affordability concerns, a $30 per month Medi-Cal premium is set for undocumented adults aged 19–59 beginning in July 2027. According to details provided by the Associated Press, these changes “pares back a number of progressive priorities… new enrollments for undocumented adults in Medi-Cal will end in 2026 and a $30 monthly premium will be introduced for some enrollees.” This premium could force difficult trade-offs for families already stretched thin—decisions like choosing between food, rent, or healthcare.
CalMatters reports that the Legislature’s final 2025–26 budget largely avoided confronting affordability head-on by relying heavily on borrowing and delayed payments to close a $12 billion deficit rather than making strategic investments in households’ daily cost burdens. They noted that the Legislature “relies more on borrowing than spending cuts… aiming to push off difficult decisions about priorities” even as the structural deficit continues growing. Deferring these difficult decisions leaves real immediate needs like childcare, energy bills, and cost-of-living support unaddressed by lawmakers.
Nourish California is a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to advancing equitable access to nutritious food and healthcare for all Californians, including low-income families, older adults, immigrants, people with disabilities, and justice-impacted individuals.
