The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 3 on Health and Human Services convened on May 8, 2025, to discuss key budgetary issues affecting health and human services in California. The meeting focused on aligning spending authority for the Sunbucks program and proposed changes to the CalFresh outreach budget.

The first agenda item addressed the Sunbucks program, which aims to distribute benefits efficiently during the summer months. A representative emphasized the need to align the Office of Technology Services and Innovation (OTSI) spending authority to facilitate timely approvals, particularly in light of late approvals received on April 9. The goal is to ensure that Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards are distributed by June, allowing beneficiaries to access their funds without delay. The representative noted that previous years required budget revisions to secure spending authority, and this proposal seeks to establish a baseline for future operations.

Following this discussion, the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) and the Department of Finance were invited to provide comments. Nishay Garuso from the LAO indicated there were no additional comments at this time, and the Department of Finance also had no further input.

The meeting then transitioned to the third agenda item concerning CalFresh budget change proposals. Alexis Fernandez Garcia from the Department of Social Services presented a proposal to expand the CalFresh outreach team by adding four new staff members. This expansion aims to address the increasing workload associated with outreach efforts, ensuring that more residents can access CalFresh benefits.

The meeting concluded without further questions or comments, highlighting the subcommittee's focus on improving service delivery through budget adjustments and staffing enhancements. The discussions underscored the ongoing efforts to streamline processes and enhance outreach in California's health and human services sector.