Mia Bonta — Referenced as having noted that households with children are more likely to experience food insecurity.
Mia Bonta — Addressed as Chairperson Bonta.
Betzabellis — Introduced herself as the chief engagement officer of Nourish California and began testimony on hunger and food access.
Tess — Cited as having previously explained the CalFresh eligibility changes.
Tess — The speaker directs a question to Tess, likely a witness or panelist, about research and data issues.
Jesse Gabriel — Thanked for championing and leading the effort that secured $36 million to restart the CalFresh Fruit and Vegetable EBT program.
Thurman — A committee member asks Thurman to speak about the economic ecosystem and rural impacts related to food insecurity.
Teal Harden — Identified as the executive director of Alameda Food Bank and thanked for the resource in Alameda.
Alexis Fernandez-Garcy — Introduced herself as Deputy Director of the Family Engagement and Empowerment Division at the California Department of Social Services and thanked the committee for the virtual accommodation.
Alameda County Social Services — The chair invited Alameda County Social Services to begin testimony.
Roland Schau — Introduced himself as a program specialist with the Alameda County Social Services Agency and said he would focus on local CalFresh data.
Roland Chow / Roland Schau — Identified himself as a program specialist with Alameda County Social Services Agency and described the county's safety-net programs.
Roland Chow — Closed his remarks and offered to answer questions.
Zoe Tanner — Zoe Tanner, a UC Berkeley MPH student and CalFresh ambassador, testified about the difficulty of applying for and maintaining CalFresh benefits, including long waits, extensive documentation, confusing and dehumanizing procedures, and disputes over student exemption eligibility. She described how these barriers affect both her own food security and the students she helps as an ambassador, while noting some improvements such as faster interviews, expanded exemptions, outreach efforts, and a more user-friendly BenefitsCal site. She emphasized the stress of stretching benefits, the limits of campus basic needs support, and urged lawmakers to understand the lived experience of low-income students and remove barriers so food access is treated as a right. The exchange concluded with several members thanking her for humanizing the issue and highlighting college student food insecurity.
Alexis — Alexis is referenced as the prior speaker who discussed participation-rate data and outreach strategies, with the conversation continuing on the same theme.
LaShae Sharp-Collins — Referred to as the co-chair who will kick off the third panel.
Luz Rivas — Luz Rivas thanked the second panel, handed the meeting over to her co-chair to begin the third panel, noted that she had introduced Assembly Bill 1211 last year to address CalFresh, and then invited the panelists to introduce themselves as the discussion moved forward.
Ezer Pemantouan — Introduced himself as Senior Policy Advocate with Alameda County Community Food Bank and described the organization as an emergency response organization.
Monica Saucedo — Monica Saucedo introduced herself as a Senior Policy Fellow at the California Budget and Policy Center and stated that she would provide a brief overview of the federal budget package, with a specific focus on SNAP/CalFresh.
Yaseña Robancho — Introduced herself as a senior policy associate with End Child Poverty California, powered by GRACE.
Monica — Referenced as having walked the committee through the issue.
Monica — Her suggestion that the state find opportunities to raise revenue was endorsed.
Alexis Fernandez — Cited for discussing an interagency task force between CDSS and DHS and a landscape analysis.
Dr. Collins — Referenced as having shared related information earlier.
Carlos — Asked to repeat the numbers for the drop-off rate.
Salah El Bakriam — Identified himself as being with the Support Life Foundation and described operating about 42 food banks.
Sade Elhawary — Sade Elhawary is referenced multiple times in garbled transcript text while the speaker discusses compliance with H.R. 1 and related error rates. The mentions appear to be the same intended reference and are part of one continuous discussion.
Sade Elhawary — Dr. Sharp Collins is referenced in the context of San Diego being part of their district, and the discussion continues by noting that the speaker serves as co-chair with Dr. Sharp Collins in this work.
David Alvarez — Thanked for establishing the Select Committee on CalFresh Enrollment and Nutrition.
Corey Jackson — Identified as the budget sub-chair for human services.
Diane Dixon — Identified as the policy-side colleague working on a collective response.
Patrick Ahrens — Patrick Ahrens is welcomed as a select committee member and neighboring colleague from Santa Clara County, then introduced as the next speaker representing the heart of Silicon Valley. He then takes the floor and opens by thanking the hosts.
Alex Lee — Alex Lee is recognized as the chair of Human Services and co-chair of the panel, then thanked for helping bring the hearing to Alameda. He is also praised for his work bringing attention to CalFresh, including through budget requests, bills, and sustained legislative efforts since joining the legislature.
Mia Bonta — Thanked for inviting the speaker to her district.
Josh Lowenthal — Referenced as part of the earlier discussion about affordability and legislative priorities.
John Harabedian — John Harabedian is referenced in the context of a broader legislative discussion about affordability and priorities. The exchange continues with thanks to Assembly Member Patrick Ahrens for comments on affordability and food access, keeping the focus on the same policy theme.
Mark González — Thanked for comments and acknowledged as part of the hearing leadership.
Tess Thorman — Tess Thorman is introduced as a research associate at the Public Policy Institute of California and then self-identifies as a senior research associate there, providing their pronouns and affiliation.
Betzebel Estudio — Introduced as Chief Engagement Officer at Norwich, California.
Josh Wright — Introduced as Director of Government Affairs at the California Association of Food Banks.
Josh Wright — Introduced himself as Director of Government Relations for the California Association of Food Banks and thanked the committees for convening the hearing.